The Battle of Beni Mered took place in April 1842 between the French forces and the Algerian resistance from southern Algiers (

Boufarik Boufarik is a town in Blida Province, Algeria, approximately 30 km from Algiers. In 2008, its population was 57,162.popul ...

to Beni Mered in

Blida Province Blida ( ar, ولاية البليدة) is a provinces of Algeria, province (''wilaya'') in Algeria. Its capital is Blida. The Chréa National Park is situated here. History The province was created from parts of Alger (department) and El Asnam d ...

). The French had established a military reserve camp around the town of Beni Mered between

Blida Blida ( ar, البليدة; Berber languages, Tamazight: Leblida) is a city in Algeria. It is the capital of Blida Province, and it is located about 45 km south-west of Algiers, the national capital. The name ''Blida'', i.e. ''bulaydah'' ...

and

Boufarik Boufarik is a town in Blida Province, Algeria, approximately 30 km from Algiers. In 2008, its population was 57,162.popul ...

. The Berber horsemen under ''Ahmed bin Salem'' extended their operations from the region of

Kabylia Kabylia ('' Kabyle: Tamurt n Leqbayel'' or ''Iqbayliyen'', meaning "Land of Kabyles", '','' meaning "Land of the Tribes") is a cultural, natural and historical region in northern Algeria and the homeland of the Kabyle people. It is part of th ...

to the

Mitidja Plain Mitidja, (Arabic: , Berber: Mettijet ⵎⴻⵜⵙⵉⵛⵝ) is a plain stretching along the outskirts of Algiers in northern Algeria. It is about long, with a width of . Traditionally devoted largely to agriculture and serving as the breadbasket o ...

in early 1842 by attacking the French forces around the area of

Béni Mered Béni Mered or Beni Marad is a town and commune in Blida Province, Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algie ...

.The attack took place on April 11, 1842, not far from the French military reserve camp, against a detachment of 22 French soldiers under the command of

Sergent Blandan Jean Pierre Hippolyte Blandan (9 February 1819 – 12 April 1842) was a French soldier, known for his historic resistance on the battlefield at Boufarik in Algeria. He was posthumously made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. Career Blandan j ...

. About 300 Berber horsemen under ''Ahmed bin Salem'' attacked and annihilated the French detachment.Explication des Ouvrages de Peinture, sculpture, architecture, gravure, et lithographic des artistes vivants exposés au Grand Palais des Champs-Élysée
(read online)
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beni Mered, Battle of Battles involving France Battles involving Algeria French Algeria 1842 in Algeria Conflicts in 1842 19th century in Africa Battles involving the French Foreign Legion April 1842 events