Taza Expedition

In May 1937, several tribes of the eastern Rif, hitherto hostile to French domination, took up arms again following land tensions and a tightening of colonial taxation. The French army in Morocco, under General Noguès, launched a punitive expedition in the Taza region, a strategic crossroads between the Rif and the Middle Atlas. The fighting lasted four days and pitted colonial troops against Berber groups well entrenched in the mountains. Air intervention and artillery proved decisive in crushing the resistance.

Even after Abdelkrim's surrender in 1926, the Rif remained an unstable area. Tribes that had not submitted or that felt humiliated by the colonial settlement continued to maintain active hostility toward the French administration. In 1937, the economic crisis, fiscal pressure, and the reorganization of collective lands sparked a flare-up. The authorities in Rabat feared contagion to neighboring regions and decided on a rapid show of force to restore order and deter any organized resurgence.

The French army launched a combined operation from Fez and Taza, using light units to advance rapidly through passes and forests. Ground troops were supported by a squadron of Potez 25 aircraft that bombed camps and retreat positions. Mountain artillery pounded the heights before infantry assaults. Spahi cavalry cleared the valleys after the fighting. The rebels, though determined, were overwhelmed by French coordination and firepower. The command cut their supply lines and isolated pockets of resistance.

The Taza expedition ended hopes of a widespread rebellion in the eastern Rif. It strengthened French military domination but increased distrust among local populations. The trauma of aerial bombardments and reprisals against villages suspected of having helped the rebels caused lasting hostility. The colonial administration drew lessons from this by strengthening military surveillance in tribal areas, while limiting brutal interventions to avoid broader radicalization.