The ''Fellagha'', an
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
word literally meaning "bandits" (الفلاقة, singular الفلاق), refers to groups of armed militants affiliated with
anti-colonial movements in
French North Africa
French North Africa (french: Afrique du Nord française, sometimes abbreviated to ANF) is the term often applied to the territories controlled by France in the North African Maghreb during the colonial era, namely Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. I ...
. It most often is used to refer to armed
Algerian nationalists who adopted violent means in order to push the
French out of
Algeria
)
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, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
as well as groups in
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
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, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
who did the same. They were particularly important during the
Algerian War (1954–1962) led by the
National Liberation Front.
Tunisian Fellagha
In Tunisia, Fellagha activity began after the assassination of labor leader
Farhat Hached
Farhat Hached (; 2 February 1914 – 5 December 1952) was a Tunisian labor unionist and independence activist assassinated by the '' Main Rouge'', a French terrorist organization operated by French foreign intelligence.
He was one of the leader ...
in late 1952. The fellagha attacked French colonial governance infrastructure as well as the property of French ''
colons'' or settlers. The fellagha were somewhat disorganized but retained some links to the Hached's union, the
UGTT
The Tunisian General Labour Union (french: Union Générale Tunisienne du Travail, ''UGTT''. ar, الاتحاد العام التونسي للشغل) is a national trade union center in Tunisia. It has a membership of more than one million and wa ...
, and the main national party, the
Neo-Destour. The Neo-Destour was able to use its influence over the fellagha to convince France to guarantee Tunisia's internal autonomy.
References
"Revolt of the Fellagha" ''Time'' magazine, 26 December 1955
Algerian War
Arabic words and phrases
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