The ''Fellagha'', an
Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
word literally meaning "bandits" (الفلاقة, singular الفلاق), refers to groups of armed militants affiliated with
anti-colonial movements in
French North Africa. It most often is used to refer to armed
Algerian nationalists who adopted violent means in order to push the
French out of
Algeria
Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
as well as groups in
Tunisia
Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...
who did the same. They were particularly important during the
Algerian War
The Algerian War (also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence) ''; '' (and sometimes in Algeria as the ''War of 1 November'') was an armed conflict between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front (Algeri ...
(1954–1962) led by the
National Liberation Front.
Tunisian Fellagha
In Tunisia, Fellagha activity began after the assassination of labor leader
Farhat Hached 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, 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
Military units and factions of the Algerian War
Arabic words and phrases
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