Saleh al-Ali
Saleh al-Ali صالح العلي | |
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Syrian Revolt of 1919 |
Saleh al-Ali or Shaykh Saleh Ahmad al-Ali (
Background
Saleh al-Ali was born in 1883 to a family of Alawi notables from Al-Shaykh Badr, in the Syrian Coastal Mountain Range in northwest. He reportedly clashed with the Ottomans in 1918 before their withdrawal from Syria,[2] killing two Ottoman soldiers who were harassing a wife of his father. This act gained him a local reputation as a rebel. After his father's death, he built a shrine for him and reportedly performed miracles at the site, according to local legend.[3]
Rebellion against the French
Start of the rebellion
In 1918 the French occupied the Syrian coast and began to move into the interior. On December 15, 1918, Saleh al-Ali called for a meeting of prominent Alawi notables in the town of Sheikh Badr. Al-Ali alerted the attendees that the French had occupied the Syrian coast with the intention of separating the region from the rest of the country, and urged them to revolt and expel the French from Syria. When the French authorities heard of the meeting, they sent a force from
Organizing the rebellion
After the initial victory, al-Ali started to organize his rebels into a disciplined force, with its own general command and military ranks. The army was supported by the local population, and some women supplied water and food and replaced the men at work in the fields.
In July 1919, in retaliation to French attacks against rebel positions, al-Ali attacked and occupied several
Final stages
The balance of power began to shift in favor of the French after they conquered
Later years
Al-Ali remained in hiding until General Gouraud issued a general amnesty in 1922. He returned to his home and abstained from all political activity until his death on 13 April 1950 in Tartus.[1]
Legacy
Saleh Al-Ali became a celebrated figure after the Syria's independence. Al-Ali, in his first public appearance since 1922, was a guest of honor of president Shukri al-Quwatli at the Evacuation Day celebrations on 17 April 1946.[1]
References
- ^ ISBN 1-885942-41-9.
- ^ ISBN 0-8156-2411-5.
- ISBN 9780857735263.
- ISBN 9780691173894. Archivedfrom the original on 2021-11-28. Retrieved 2023-06-03.pp. 244-254