1871 Battle of the Col des Beni Aïcha

Overview

The Battle of the Col des Beni Aïcha or Battle of Thenia, which broke out on 19 April 1871, was a battle of the Mokrani Revolt between the Algerian rebels, and the France, which was the colonial power in the region since 1830.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of the Col des Beni Aïcha, fought on 19 April 1871, was an engagement of the Mokrani Revolt, the major Algerian uprising against French colonial rule that broke out in 1871. The battle brought together a substantial rebel force under a coalition of Cheikh commanders — Mokrani, Boumerdassi, Boushaki, and Zamoum — against a comparable French force drawn from multiple commands. The engagement reflects the scale of organized resistance during the revolt, with both sides committing forces in the low thousands. Beyond confirming that the uprising had mobilized significant leadership and manpower in the region, the recorded outcome and its consequences for the broader campaign are not documented in available sources.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (10)