Battle of Taghit

Battle of Taghit
Part of South-Oranese Campaign
Monument to the French Foreign Légionnaires who died during the South-Oranese campaign
Date 17–20 August 1903 Location Taghit, Algerian - Moroccan border Result French victory
Belligerents
France	Moroccan Berbers
Commanders and leaders
Captain de Susbielle	Sharif Mouley Mostepha
Strength
470	4,000
Casualties and losses
9 dead, 21 wounded	about 400

The Battle of Taghit was the siege of a fort held by a contingent of the French Army of Africa against Moroccan tribesmen during the South-Oranese Campaign.

In the 1890s, the French administration and military called for the annexation of the Touat, the Gourara and the Tidikelt, a complex that had been part of the Moroccan Empire for many centuries prior to the arrival of the French in Algeria.

An armed conflict opposed French 19th Corps Oran and Algiers divisions to the Aït Khabbash, a fraction of the Moroccan Aït Ounbgui khams of the Aït Atta confederation. The conflict ended with the annexation of the Touat-Gourara-Tidikelt complex by France in 1901.

Aftermath, France faced numerous incidents, attacks and looting by uncontrolled armed groups in the newly controlled areas to the south of Oran. Under the command of General Lyautey, the French army's mission was to protect these areas newly occupied in the west of Algeria, near the poorly defined Moroccan boundaries. This loose boundary, between French Algeria and the Sultanate of Morocco, promoted incursions and attacks by Moroccan tribesmen.

On the 17 August 1903, Sharif Mouley Mostepha, at the head of 4,000 tribesmen from the Guir and Tafilalt, followed by 5,000 non-combatants of all ages, arrived at the military fort of Taghit. During four days they besieged the outpost and its French troop, but the fierce defense of the garrison and the several sorties ordered by Captain de Susbielle forced the tribesmen to flee and disperse in the desert.

A few days after the battle of Taghit, 148 legionnaires of the 22nd mounted company, from the 2e REI, commanded by Captain Vauchez and Lieutenant Selchauhansen, 20 Spahis and 2 Mokhaznis, forming part of escorting a supply convoy, were ambushed, on September 2, by 3,000 Moroccans tribesmen, at El-Moungar.

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