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Why do historians debate whether the Rif War was an anticolonial insurgency or a jihad?
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Rif War
Spanish artillery firing outside Melilla during the Rif War.
Historians debate the nature of the Rif War (1921–26) because the movement led by Muhammad Abd el-Krim contained elements that align with both secular and religious interpretations of conflict.12
The debate centers on whether the war is best understood as:
- A modern, secular insurgency: This perspective views the conflict as a liberation movement against unwanted European interference and colonial domination by Spain and France. It emphasizes the political goals of the Republic of the Rif, which sought to establish an organized, independent state in the face of foreign military occupation.32
- A traditional jihad: This perspective interprets the resistance as a defensive struggle for the protection of Islam and the preservation of Berber independence. Given that the Rif peoples were largely opposed to being ruled by Spanish Christians, religious identity played a significant role in mobilizing local groups against the "pacification" efforts of the Spanish army.124
Ultimately, the conflict remains a subject of historical inquiry because it bridged these two motivations, reflecting both a struggle for national sovereignty and a defense of traditional cultural and religious values.12