Adham Khanjar () (1890–1922) was a Lebanese

Shia Muslim Shia Islam is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political Succession to Muhammad, successor (caliph) and as the spiritual le ...

revolutionary and Syrian nationalist who participated in

guerilla warfare Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include recruited children, use ambushes, sabotage, terrorism ...

against the forces of the French occupation of Lebanon and Syria, and the attempt to assassinate General Gouraud, the French High Commissioner. Khanjar hailed from the feudal Sa'b family of

Jabal Amel Jabal Amil (; also spelled Jabal Amel and historically known as Jabal Amila) is a cultural and geographic region in Southern Lebanon largely associated with its long-established, predominantly Twelver Shia Muslim inhabitants. Its precise boundari ...

in present-day

Southern Lebanon Southern Lebanon () is the area of Lebanon comprising the South Governorate and the Nabatiye Governorate. The two entities were divided from the same province in the early 1990s. The Rashaya and Western Beqaa districts, the southernmost distr ...

. Little is known about his life, but it appears he participated in the

Franco-Syrian War The Franco-Syrian War took place during 1920 between France and the Hashemite rulers of the newly established Arab Kingdom of Syria. During a series of engagements, which climaxed in the Battle of Maysalun, French forces defeated the forces of th ...

in 1920, where he had met Sultan al-Atrash.

Assassination Attempt

Khanjar joined a guerrilla band led by famous Syrian revolutionist Ahmed Mreywed. And on 23 June 1921, the band ambushed the car of General

Henri Gouraud Henri Gouraud (17 November 1867 - 16 September 1946) was a French army general. He played a central role in the colonization of French Africa and the Levant. During World War I, he fought in major battles such as those of the Argonne, the Dard ...

, the French High Commissioner in Syria and Lebanon, on its way from

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

Quneitra Quneitra (also Al Qunaytirah, Qunaitira, or Kuneitra; , ''al-Qunayṭrah'' or ''al-Qunayṭirah'' ) is the largely destroyed and abandoned capital of the Quneitra Governorate in south-western Syria. It is situated in a high valley in the Golan ...

. The general survived the attempt, but Commandant Branet was killed, and the governor of Damascus was wounded in the attack.Biographie de Henri Joseph Eugène Gouraud
/ref> After the failed attempt, the band members, including Adham, fled to Transjordan.

The Adham Khanjar Incident

In July 1922, Adham and a band of guerillas had tried to cross the border to sabotage the electrical generating station in

, but the band had been dispersed at the border. With the French authorities in pursuit, he sought refuge at the home of Sultan al-Atrash. On July 7, Khanjar had arrived at the village of Al-Qrayya in

Jabal al-Druze Jabal al-Druze (), is an elevated volcanic region in the Suwayda Governorate of southern Syria. Most of the inhabitants of this region are Druze, and there are also significant Christian communities. Safaitic inscriptions were first found in ...

, but was recognized by two French soldiers and subsequently was captured while he was trying to get water at a well. Khanjar was transferred to Suwayda immediately. From his prison there, he sent a message to Sultan al-Atrash asking for his help, as he was seeking refuge at his house Al-Qrayya. Upon receiving the message, Sultan, who was in nearby village at that time, considered Khanjar's capture as a breach of the

Arab Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...

traditions of protecting the fugitive, and an attack on him personally. Thus, Sultan went to the provincial capital at Suwayda to protest the breach of customary law before the French authorities, and also sent a series of telegrams to the native and French authorities protesting this breach; but his appeal was rejected by both the native and French authorities. Afterwards, Sultan gathered his brothers and few friends to launch at attack on a French

convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

they thought to transport Khanjar, who was sent to

in an airplane that morning. The French retaliated to the destruction of the convoy by issuing warrants to the rebels, bombing their villages and destroying their houses.

Execution

After his transport to Damascus, Khanjar was put to trial and found guilty. He was executed shortly after.

Legacy

Adham Khanjar is hailed as a hero by Syrian nationalists and Lebanese Shias, who along Sultan had sought to expel the French forces from the region. The people of

consider the Adham Khanjar incident an example of defending their values of protecting the fugitives, and Khanjar's name is still mentioned today in the traditional songs of the area.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khanjar, Adham 1923 deaths 20th-century executions by Lebanon Executed Lebanese people Lebanese Shia Muslims Syrian Shia Muslims People executed by the French Third Republic Executed failed assassins Resistance to the French colonial empire 1890 births