The German spy "Walter Balterz" in the Rif.

The German spy "Walter Balterz", who was known in the Rif as "Mr. Hermann". On August 22, 1915, the German Walter Balterz landed in Souani, together with his compatriot Farli Lang (called Rqayd Far by the Riffians) and his Tunisian worker. The three got out of a sailboat owned by Rais Mohend Boudra, which was used for transport and trade between Arif and Spain. Rais Boudra received from the Germans as a present; a pistol, a rifle and a flag of the Ottoman Empire for his loyalty to Abdelkrim Elkhattabi and keeping the secret of their arrival. The German spy was on a secret mission; he wanted to persuade the Ait Wayagher and the rest of the Riffians to wage a proxy war against the French in Rif and Morocco. 103 years ago, the three foreigners landed in Souani, accompanied by two local people, namely: 1.The brother-in-law of the El Khattabi family, Mohend Boudra, who married Fadhma n Abdelkrim Elkhattabi (the older sister of the later president of Arif Republic of Moulay Mohend). 2. The cousin of the El Khattabis, Abdelkrim n Heddou n Ziyyan, who spoke reasonable German. Mohamed Akkouh stayed behind on the boat to sail the boat together with Mohamed n Mohamed Benazrq from Ait Bousaqsaqen and his two sons to its final destination in Isri. The three foreigners and two locals arrived at the house of judge El Khattabi in Ajdir, after which they left for Ait Qamra after dinner. The judge feared that they would be seen and that his political opponents would use them to turn the citizens against him and then attack his house.

However, the locals knew nothing about the presence of these strangers, but the Spaniards on Noukour Island did. How they found out is a different story: Between the Spaniards on Nekor Island and the Riffians on the mainland, trade was conducted that both sides needed. For example, the Spaniards bought eggs and chickens from the local population and sold sugar and other products that the countryside did not produce. When the guests arrived, Abdelkrim (the judge) sent help to the island to buy a pack of expensive bisquits. The Spanish shopkeeper asked Abdelkrim's help why he wanted this, as this luxury product was not usually bought by the Riffians. The aid told the Spaniard that there are three foreign guests at Abdelkrim's house. The Spanish shopkeeper immediately informed the military governor in Melilla that the Germans wanted to win the Ait Wayagher instead of the Spaniards. The Spanish General Jordana immediately gave the order to keep an eye on Mohend (the later founder of the Arif republic) because he sent the Germans from Melilla to Ajdir.

In the same year, at the request of the French Marshal Hubert Lyautey, Mohend n Abdelkrim El Khattabi was arrested by the Spaniards in Melilla. A few months after his captivity, Moulay Mohend tried to escape. The attempt ended in a fall and Mohend was hospitalized and later released. However, he was not allowed to leave Melilla. He was used as a hostage to put pressure on his father Abdelkrim whose politics became more hostile to Spain.

Abdelkrim Elkhattabi, on the other hand, sent a harsh language letter to Jordana: “You mustn't get the illusion that the fatherland weighs the same as my son. Or that his imprisonment with you will affect my position on you. I have absolutely no hope that he will come back, if his return comes at the expense of our principles and the will to fight against you!” said Abdelkrim. After negotiations between the Elkhattabi family and the Spaniards, Mohend was allowed to leave Melilla in exchange for two other hostages from the family. Mohamed Amghrar Benzian and Mohamed n Mustaf n Boudra presented themselves. In May 1916, Mohend Elkhattabi returned to Ajdir to the delight of the locals. However, the skirmishes with the French at Igzennayen continued, causing Spain to turn its allies within the Ait Wayagher against the Elkhattabis. This led to several confrontations between Riffians of the same tribe. However, the proxy war in Igzennayen had no major consequences. There was no will on the part of the Riffians to get involved in a war that was "a far-from-my-bed show" for them. One of the important figures in the German-Riffian alliance against the French was the Algerian Abdelmalek Muhyi Dinne, the son of the well-known Algerian Abdelkader Eljazairi. However, Abdelmalek would later join the Spaniards and fight against the Riffian Republic. In the summer of 1924, the Syrian-born Algerian led an attack against the Riffian positions in Midar. He did this from the Spanish camp in Raazib n Midar. After a few hours, he lost more than half of his army of over 900 soldiers. The last attack he led himself and ended after 10 minutes when he was hit by a bullet. As a result of his death, his remaining soldiers withdrew. The battle of Midar was won thanks to the maneuver of some fifty commandos led by Moh Azdhadh / Mohamed Azdad and the use of the double foxholes (a vertical one, which allowed a soldier to stand up and fight with head and shoulders. And a horizontal which protected the soldier in the event of bombing or artillery fire) Sources (المصادر):

*The book of the Spanish Maria Rosa عبد الكريم الخطابي والنضال من أجل الإستقلال *An article by the Egyptian Hassan Badawi, the author of the book الأمير محمد بن عبد الكريم الخطابي *The book of eyewitness and relative of Abdelkrim, Mohamed Mohamed Omar Belqadi أسد الريف "والتر بالترز"، العميل الألماني الذي سعى إلى حشد العناد الورياغلي من أجل القضاء على الإستعمار الفرنسي بالريف، في خطة تهدف إلى عدم إكتفاء ألمانيا بمحاربة عدوتها اللدودة فرنسا على حدود الألزاس واللورين، وإنما إقتفاء أثرها بالريف و بموراكش والسعي إلى خلق المشاكل لها هناك "والتر بالترز " أخفى إسمه آنذاك تحت إسم مستعار هو: "ألبير هرمان" حيث عرف بين الريفيين "بالسي هيرمان" أو "الحاج أليمان". محمد عبد الكريم الخطابي