Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

Mahmoud Chérif (1912–1987) was an Algerian

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

leader and politician. He was born in Chéria in the

Tébessa Tébessa or Tebessa ( ar, تبسة ''Tibissa'', ''Tbessa'' or ''Tibesti''), the classical Theveste, is the capital city of Tébessa Province region of northeastern Algeria. It hosts several historical landmarks, the most important one being the w ...

governorship ( wilaya) in 1912. After school, he joined the

French army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...

and graduated from training courses with the rank of

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

. He participated as a French-Algerian soldier on the side of the

Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. After the war, he joined

Ferhat Abbas Ferhat is a Turkish given name and the Turkish spelling of the Persian name Ferhad ( fa, فرهاد, ''farhād''). It may refer to: Given name Ferhad * Ferhad Ayaz (born 1994), Turkish-Swedish footballer * Ferhad Pasha Sokolović 16th-century Ott ...

UDMA Udma is a census town in Kasaragod district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Kerala. Demographics As of 2011 India census, Udma census town had population of 8,115 which constitutes 3,593 males and 4,522 females. Udma c ...

movement, which worked peacefully—but unsuccessfully—for Algerian rights. Soon after the outbreak of the Algerian War of Independence in 1954, he joined the Front de libération nationale (FLN) resistance movement, where his military command experience guaranteed him an important role. He headed the rebellion in FLN's Wilaya I -- an area which included the Tébessa region—and was later promoted

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

in the Armée de libération nationale (ALN), FLN's armed wing. When the FLN created its

government-in-exile A government in exile (abbreviated as GiE) is a political group that claims to be a country or semi-sovereign state's legitimate government, but is unable to exercise legal power and instead resides in a foreign country. Governments in exile u ...

( GPRA) in 1958, Chérif was made minister of armament and materiel under Abbas's presidency, until a 1960 reshuffle.

Sources

1 Novémbre Website

Liste des membres du 1er GPRA 1958/1960
1912 births 1987 deaths Algerian military personnel {{Algeria-politician-stub