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Why did Spain reduce its offensive operations in the Rif after 1922?

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Spanish soldiers operate artillery cannons in a desert landscape near Melilla, with smoke billowing as a cannon fires during a 1930s battle. — Rif War Spanish artillery firing outside Melilla during the Rif War.

After 1922, Spain reduced its offensive operations in the Rif primarily due to the high financial cost of the conflict and significant war weariness among the Spanish public. The war had become deeply unpopular in Spain, and the government faced pressure regarding the economic burden of maintaining the campaign.12

Additionally, the Spanish military had suffered from poor leadership, inadequate training, and logistical failures, which were highlighted by the devastating defeat at Annual in 1921. Following the recovery of most territory lost during that rout, the government opted for a stalemate rather than continued aggressive expansion. This cautious approach persisted until September 1924, when Gen. Miguel Primo de Rivera ordered a strategic withdrawal of troops from isolated positions in the western part of the protectorate to a more defensible line, further reflecting the government's desire to limit the scope and expense of the war.12