Commemorating the Revolution of the King and the People: A Profile of Martyr Allal Ben Abdellah, the Son of Guercif Who Shook the Foundations of Colonialism

Born in 1916 in Guercif, Allal Ben Abdellah was a modest artisan whose commitment to national values defined his life. Following the French Protectorate’s exile of Sultan Mohammed V on August 20, 1953, and the installation of the puppet Mohammed Ben Arafa, popular outrage swept through Morocco. On September 11, 1953, Allal Ben Abdellah took a daring stand, attempting to target Ben Arafa’s motorcade in Rabat. He was struck by eight fatal bullets and died a martyr. This act served as a crucial turning point in the Moroccan resistance, fueling the struggle that led to the return of Mohammed V in 1955 and Morocco’s independence in 1956. Today, Guercif takes pride in its son, an immortal name in the memory of the Moroccan national resistance and a symbol of sacrifice for the homeland, the throne, and independence.