Youcef Zighoud ( ar, يوسف زيغود February 18, 1921 – September 25, 1956), also known as Colonel Si Ahmed, was an Algerian FLN party fighter during the

Algerian War The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence,( ar, الثورة الجزائرية '; '' ber, Tagrawla Tadzayrit''; french: Guerre d'Algérie or ') and sometimes in Algeria as the War of 1 November ...

. On August 20, 1955, he planned a resistance and struggle against the French occupation in Philippeville (currently called

Skikda Skikda ( ar, سكيكدة; formerly Philippeville from 1838 to 1962 and Rusicade in ancient times) is a city in northeastern Algeria and a port on the Mediterranean. It is the capital of Skikda Province and Skikda District. History The Phoenic ...

) and surroundings, which led 123 French soldiers to death. That resistance led to harsh crackdown and repression that caused (officially) 1,239 dead in the Algerian side, and (unofficially) 12,000 according to the FLN party. Zighoud, from whom the town of Zighoud Youcef takes its name, was killed in Sidi Mezghiche during a clash with 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 ...

Biography

Zighoud attended the

Quranic school Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...

after leaving a French primary school. At the age of 17, Zighoud joined the Algerian People Party (PPA), becoming a local official in Smendou in 1938. After being elected in the Movement of Triumph of Democratic Liberties (MTLD) in 1947, he took part of the Special Organization (OS), which was called to prepare all essential requirements to the Armed Struggle, after the total fail of the Pacific way. Arrested in 1950 by French Colonial Police after discovering the (OS), he was sued and thrown in jail in

Annaba Annaba ( ar, عنّابة, "Place of the Jujubes"; ber, Aânavaen), formerly known as Bon, Bona and Bône, is a seaport city in the northeastern corner of Algeria, close to the border with Tunisia. Annaba is near the small Seybouse River ...

from which he escaped and joined outlaw way. He also engaged the military action of Unity and Working Revolutionary Committee (

CRUA Revolutionary Committee for Unity and Action (in French: ''Comité Révolutionnaire d'Unité et d'Action'') was a militant group in Algeria formed in order to fight French rule. CRUA regrouped former elements of the OS and radical members of the ...

) since its creation. On the November 1, 1954 he was with

Didouche Mourad Didouche Mourad is a town and commune in Constantine Province, Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers ...

, North Constantine area responsible that became Wilaya II of Army of National Liberation (ALN). Youcef Zighoud took part with Mourad on January 18, 1955, of the Oued Boukerker's battle in which Mourad was killed. Youcef Zighoud took his place at the head of Wilaya II. It's in this tenure that he organized and directed the famous August 20, 1955's struggle, “the bloodbath of Constantine region” that was firmly condemned by the FLN head command. A year after, day by day on August 20, 1956, he took part the Soummam congress where all organic and political structures of November's revolution were set up. Zighoud Youcef, who was one of the congress founders, was appointed a member of National Council of the Algerian Revolution (CNRA), and was promoted colonel of National Liberation Army (ALN); and assumed command of the "Wilaya II". Soon after, he joined again his battle station and started applying Congress decisions. On September 25, 1956, Zighoud Youcef was killed during an explicative and organizational tour of his units by a

ambush in Sidi Mezghiche (Wilaya of Skikda) at the age of 35.

Biography

See also