Saleh al-Ali
Encyclopedia
Saleh al-Ali or Shaykh Saleh Ahmad al-Ali (b. Ash-Shaykh Badr
, 1884 - d. Tartus, 13 April 1950) was a prominent Syria
n Alawi
leader that commanded one of the first rebellions against the French mandate of Syria
.
, in An-Nusayriyah Mountains in northwest Syria
. He reportedly clashed with the Ottomans
in 1918 before their withdrawal from Syria.
in Aleppo, the uprising in Talkalakh
by the Dandashi tribe and the revolt in Antioch
by Subhi Barakat. He also received funds and arms from Kemal Atatürk
of Turkey
which was also at war with France
at the time.
In July 1919, in retaliation to French attacks against rebel positions, al-Ali attacked and occupied several Ismaili
villages that were allied to the French. A truce was concluded between the two, but the French violated it by occupying and burning the village of Kaf al-Jaz. Al-Ali retaliated by attacking and occupying al-Qadmus from which the French conducted their military operations against him.
, defeating a makeshift army at the Battle of Maysalun
on 24 July 1920. In November, General Henri Gouraud
mounted a full-fledged campaign against Saleh al-Ali's forces in the An-Nusayriyah Mountains. They entered al-Ali's village of Ash-Shaykh Badr and arrested many Alawi notables. Al-Ali fled to the north, but a large French force overran his positions and al-Ali went into hiding. A French court-martial
convened in Latakia
and sentenced him to death in absentia
.
celebrations on 17 April 1946.
Ash-Shaykh Badr
Ash-Shaykh Badr is a Syrian city administratively belonging to Tartus Governorate. Ash-Shaykh Badr has an altitude of 536 meters. It has a population of 47,982....
, 1884 - d. Tartus, 13 April 1950) was a prominent Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n Alawi
Alawi
The Alawis, also known as Alawites, Nusayris and Ansaris are a prominent mystical and syncretic religious group centred in Syria who are a branch of Shia Islam.-Etymology:...
leader that commanded one of the first rebellions against the French mandate of Syria
French Mandate of Syria and Lebanon
Officially the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon was a League of Nations mandate founded after the First World War and the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire...
.
Background
Saleh al-Ali was born in 1884 to a family of Alawi notables from Ash-Shaykh BadrAsh-Shaykh Badr
Ash-Shaykh Badr is a Syrian city administratively belonging to Tartus Governorate. Ash-Shaykh Badr has an altitude of 536 meters. It has a population of 47,982....
, in An-Nusayriyah Mountains in northwest Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. He reportedly clashed with the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in 1918 before their withdrawal from Syria.
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 already 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 Al-Qadmus to the town of Sheikh Badr in order to arrest Saleh al-Ali. Al-Ali and his men ambushed the force at the village of Niha, west of Wadi al-Oyoun. The French forces were defeated and suffered more than 35 casualties.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. Al-Ali also allied himself with the rebellion of Ibrahim HananuIbrahim Hananu
Ibrahim Hananu or Ibrahim Hanano , one of the more charismatic and intriguing figures to emerge from the morass of war in post-1918 Aleppo, was an Constantinople-educated member of a notable landholding family of Kurdish origin in northern Syria. He was born in Kafr Takharim, a fertile...
in Aleppo, the uprising in Talkalakh
Talkalakh
Talkalakh is a Syrian city . It has a population of 31,479, most of them are Turkmen. Talkalakh is the principal urban centre of Talkalakh District in Homs Governorate. It is also known as Tall Kalakh....
by the Dandashi tribe and the revolt in Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
by Subhi Barakat. He also received funds and arms from Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey....
of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
which was also at war with France
Franco-Turkish War
The Franco-Turkish War or Cilicia War was a series of conflicts fought between France and Turkish National Forces directed by Turkish Grand National Assembly from May 1920-October 1921 in the aftermath of World War I...
at the time.
In July 1919, in retaliation to French attacks against rebel positions, al-Ali attacked and occupied several Ismaili
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
villages that were allied to the French. A truce was concluded between the two, but the French violated it by occupying and burning the village of Kaf al-Jaz. Al-Ali retaliated by attacking and occupying al-Qadmus from which the French conducted their military operations against him.
Final stages
The balance of power began to shift in favor of the French after they conquered DamascusDamascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, defeating a makeshift army at the Battle of Maysalun
Battle of Maysalun
The Battle of Maysalun , also called The Battle of Maysalun Pass, took place between Syrian and French forces about 12 miles west of Damascus near the town of Maysalun on July 23, 1920.-Background:...
on 24 July 1920. In November, General Henri Gouraud
Henri Gouraud
Henri Gouraud may refer to:*Henri Gouraud *Henri Gouraud...
mounted a full-fledged campaign against Saleh al-Ali's forces in the An-Nusayriyah Mountains. They entered al-Ali's village of Ash-Shaykh Badr and arrested many Alawi notables. Al-Ali fled to the north, but a large French force overran his positions and al-Ali went into hiding. A French court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
convened in Latakia
Latakia
Latakia, or Latakiyah , is the principal port city of Syria, as well as the capital of the Latakia Governorate. In addition to serving as a port, the city is a manufacturing center for surrounding agricultural towns and villages...
and sentenced him to death in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
.
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.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 DayEvacuation Day (Syria)
Evacuation Day is Syria's national day commemorating the evacuation of the last French soldier and Syria's proclamation of full independence and the end of the French mandate of Syria on April 17, 1946....
celebrations on 17 April 1946.