Khenifra is a city in northern central Morocco, surrounded by the Atlas Mountains and located on the Oum Er-Rbia River. National Highway 8 also goes through the town. The population, as of a 2019 census, was 228,567.
Image: Khenifra Amazigh
Image: Khenifra,mainroad
Image: Khenifra,river
Image: Casbah
The Zaian War was fought between France and the Zaian Confederation of Berber tribes in Morocco between 1914 and 1921 during the French conquest of Morocco. Morocco had become a French protectorate in 1912, and Resident-General Louis-Hubert Lyautey sought to extend French influence eastwards through the Middle Atlas mountains towards French Algeria. This was opposed by the Zaians, led by Mouha ou Hammou Zayani. The war began well for the French, who quickly took the key towns of Taza and Khénifra. Despite the loss of their base at Khénifra, the Zaians inflicted heavy losses on the French, who responded by establishing groupes mobiles, combined arms formations that mixed regular and irregular infantry, cavalry and artillery into a single force.
General Mangin entering Marrakesh on 9 September 1912
Louis-Hubert Lyautey c. 1908
The routes of the French columns that marched on Khénifra
A modern image showing the landscape near Khénifra