Hassiba Benbouali
Encyclopedia
Hassiba Ben Bouali was a female hero of the Algerian independence war (1954–62).
She was born in Chlef
, Algeria
. Her parents installed themselves in Algiers in 1947, where she followed her studies in the Lycée Delacroix (high-school). She adhered to the Scout Movement and discovered the Algerian people's misery by travelling. This motivated her to take membership in the Union Générale des Étudiants Musulmans Algériens (General Union of Algerian Muslim Students) in 1954, at the age of 16. Hassiba Ben Bouali participated in the nationalist struggle until her death. Participating to the Battle of Algiers
, she and three companions including Ali Ammar
(aka Ali La Pointe) were killed in 1957 when French forces bombed their hideout in the Casbah
in Algiers
.
One of the largest avenues in Algiers and the University of Chlef
were named after her.
Benbouali was depicted in the movie The Battle of Algiers
by Italian director Gillo Pontecorvo
.
She was born in Chlef
Chlef
Chlef is the capital of Chlef Province, Algeria. It is home to the soccer club ASO Chlef, the Hassiba Ben Bouali university, and the basilica of Saint Reparatus, which is home to the oldest Christian labyrinth in the world....
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. Her parents installed themselves in Algiers in 1947, where she followed her studies in the Lycée Delacroix (high-school). She adhered to the Scout Movement and discovered the Algerian people's misery by travelling. This motivated her to take membership in the Union Générale des Étudiants Musulmans Algériens (General Union of Algerian Muslim Students) in 1954, at the age of 16. Hassiba Ben Bouali participated in the nationalist struggle until her death. Participating to the Battle of Algiers
Battle of Algiers (1957)
The Battle of Algiers was a campaign of guerrilla warfare carried out by the National Liberation Front against the French Algerian authorities from late 1956 to late 1957. The conflict began as a series of hit-and-run attacks by the FLN against the French Police in Algiers. Violence escalated...
, she and three companions including Ali Ammar
Ali Ammar
Ali Ammar ,, also known as Ali La Pointe, was a guerrilla leader who fought for Algerian independence against the French. In the film, The Battle of Algiers, he was portrayed by Brahim Haggiag....
(aka Ali La Pointe) were killed in 1957 when French forces bombed their hideout in the Casbah
Casbah
The Casbah ) is specifically the citadel of Algiers in Algeria and the traditional quarter clustered around it. More generally, a kasbah is the walled citadel of many North African cities and towns...
in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
.
One of the largest avenues in Algiers and the University of Chlef
Chlef
Chlef is the capital of Chlef Province, Algeria. It is home to the soccer club ASO Chlef, the Hassiba Ben Bouali university, and the basilica of Saint Reparatus, which is home to the oldest Christian labyrinth in the world....
were named after her.
Benbouali was depicted in the movie The Battle of Algiers
The Battle of Algiers (film)
The Battle of Algiers is a 1966 war film based on occurrences during the Algerian War against French colonial occupation in North Africa, the most prominent being the titular Battle of Algiers. It was directed by Gillo Pontecorvo...
by Italian director Gillo Pontecorvo
Gillo Pontecorvo
Gillo Pontecorvo was an Italian filmmaker. He worked as a film director for more than a decade before his best known film La battaglia di Algeri was released...
.