Last modified: 2005-08-19 by antonio martins
Keywords: morocco | er rif | rif | crescent: points to fly (green) | star: 6 points (green) | crescent: points to fly (black) | star: 6 points (black) | star: 6 points (white) | crescent: points to hoist (black) |
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![[Flag of Republic of Er Rif]](../images/m/ma_rif.gif)
A revolt broke out in the Spanish part of the
Rif mountains, led by Muhammad ibs Abd-el-Krim al-Khattabi. Abd-el-Krim was
born in 1882 in the Berber tribe of Bani Uriaghel. He studied Spanish and
Arabic, and was appointed qadi al-qudat (Muslim judge) in 1915 in
the Melilla district. He was also the editor of
the Arabic pages of the newspaper El Telegrama del Rif. He was a
supporter of the Egyptian nationalists and the
Arab Wahhabits and a great fan of
Kemal Atatürk. He fought the Spanish colonial
administration and was jailed. He escaped with his brother, the future chief
of his army, and organized the resistance of the Berber tribes in the Rif
mountains.
Ivan Sache, 15 Jun 2003,
quoting [lux01]
There was a Rif War between 1920 and 1926, led by Abd-el Krim
(1882-1963) who proclaim the Holy War against Spain. In 1921 he won
over the Spanish General Sylvestre in Anoual.
Pascal Vagnat, 07 Jun 1996
In 1921, he defeated the Spanish army and was about to enter Melilla.
Abd-el-Krim founded on 19 September 1921 the Republic of Rif and
was appointed President of the Republic.
Ivan Sache, 15 Jun 2003,
quoting [lux01]
Although this state is always referred to as Republic, Abd el Krim had
the title sultan or amir.
Ralf Stelter, 12 Mar 2001
In 1923, an international
status for Tangier was proclaimed. In 1924 after the Spaniards left the
coast, he nearly threatened to conquer Fes and Tangier.
Pascal Vagnat, 07 Jun 1996
In April 1925, Abd-el-Krim threatened Fes and Taza. A Franco-Spanish
conference convened in Madrid and a joint military action was set up. A
Spanish army, led by General Sanjurjo, landed in Alhucemas, near Ajir,
Abd-el-Krim’s headquarters. Paris sent 100 000 soldiers led by Marshal
Philippe Pétain. Abd-el-Krim surrendered on 27 May 1923 in Izemouren.
Three days later, he sent a letter to General Boichut, in which he
confirmed his surrender, asked for the French protection for his family,
and promised to liberate his French prisoners. On 4 June, he was brought
with his family to Fes and exiled to the Reunion Island.
Ivan Sache, 15 Jun 2003,
quoting [lux01]
In 1926, with the unification of the French and Spanish Military
Commandment, he is defeated and is deported to the Reunion Isle. He
escaped (1947) from a ship which returned to France and finally died
in Egypt.
Pascal Vagnat, 07 Jun 1996
He escaped to Cairo in 1947, where he was granted political asylum. In
Cairo, he founded the "Liberation Committee of Arab West" a.k.a. "Maghreb
Bureau". After the independence of Morocco, he was invited by King Muhammad V
to come back but he refused to do it as long as French troops would stay on
the northern African land. Abd-el-Krim died in Cairo on 6 February 1963.
Ivan Sache, 15 Jun 2003,
quoting [lux01]
I think that can t be a a riffian flag because they dont have a six-pointed
star in the flag; only Isreal has that i think that Abdel
Karim el Ghatabbi would never accept this flag.
Abdel Karim, 07 May 2000
The hexagram, known in Israel as the Shield of David, was also used frequently in Muslim flags as the “seal of Solomon”. Examples:
Design according to [ivaXX].
Mark Sensen, 06 Jun 1996
Ivanov [ivaXX] reported the same flag, but
in proportions 2:3 and with a green crescent and Magen David.
Ivan Sache, 15 Jun 2003
The flag of the Rif Republic as depicted in Banderas
[ban] issue #1, drawn by Eduardo
Panizo, is quite different from the one in Znamierowski
1999 [zna99]. The one in Banderas
looks like the above and was made according to an original captured flag kept
in the Spanish Army Museum.
Santiago Dotor, 21 Jan 2002
So, Banderas [ban] published (in
issues 1 and 6) two different depictions,
both claiming to be drawn from the same original?!
António Martins, 11 Mar 2001
![[Er Rif Flag var.]](../images/m/ma_rif1.gif)
On p. 105 of the French edition of Znamierowski (Encyclopedie mondiale
des drapeaux [zna00c]), the flag of the
Republic of Rif is slightly different than in
[ivaXX]: The hexagram is
confirmed, but the emblem is much smaller and shifted to the flag fly.
Ivan Sache, 11 Mar 2001
In Banderas [ban] 6, page 10,
Tomás Rodríguez Peńas gives exact measures for the flag which is in the
Museo del Ejército at Madrid. The device is offcentered to the fly.
Ralf Stelter, 12 Mar 2001
So, Banderas [ban] published (in issues 1 and 6) two different depictions, both claiming to b