Assou Oubasslam | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1890 Ksar Taghya,Morocco |
| Died | 16 August 1960 Morocco |
| Buried | Imilchan Commune |
| Known for | Leader of theAmazigh Resistance in Asamer |
| Battles / wars | Battle of Bougafer [fr], 1933 |
Assou Oubasslam[1][2] was a leader of anarmed resistance in southeasternMorocco, againstFrench colonization from theoccupation of Morocco until the early 1930s. He was aBerber from theAït Atta tribes and was born in 1890 in Ksar Taghya,Morocco.[3]
Assou Oubasslam was born in 1890[1][2][3] in Ksar Taghya, south ofTinghir. He was aSufi, a charismatic leader, influenced by the leadership role of his father. In 1919, he was appointed as the tribal leader of "Ilm Chan". As the French colonial occupation advanced and posed a threat to the eastern High Atlas, he took command of the Amazigh resistance against the French colonizers and their collaborators. Assou Oubasslam engaged in numerous battles, most notably the Battle of Bougafer in 1933, where he achieved a significant victory against the French.
In 1932, the Ait Atta tribes gathered at Ksar Taghya and elected Assou Oubasslam as the overall leader of thejihad. With much of Morocco under French occupation, colonial forces attempted to infiltrate southeastern Morocco and subjugate theSaghro region and Ait Atta tribes. The resistance of Assou Oubasslam served as a barrier to their expansion. Assou Oubslam led the Islamic resistance against French colonization, engaging in battles that decisively favored the resistance. He inflicted significant losses on the occupying forces and lured the invaders into exhausting battles at locations such as "Taouza", "Al Nif", "Tazarin" and "Naqoub."[4] In 1933, after multiple confrontations, the Battle of Bogafar erupted in the Saghro, Asef Mulul, and Mount Baddou regions in the easternHigh Atlas. It ended with the victory of the resistance over the French colonizers.
Thousands of Moroccans lost their lives in this battle, and the French forces employed systematic genocide. The civilian casualties in Bougafer were estimated at four thousand, including children and women.[1] The resistance of Assou Oubasslam only surrendered on March 25, 1933,[2] after enduring a prolonged siege by land and air. The resistance of Assou Oubasslam came to an end.
After a prolonged struggle with diabetes, the Moroccan resistance fighter Assou Oubasslam died on August 16, 1960.[1] He was buried in his ancestors' cemetery in the Imilchan Commune.[3]
