A PORTRAIT OF A FIGHTER WOMAN

THE LADY OF AL AZIZIA
She was called Slema Bent Maghawess سليمة بنت مقوس . A woman from the tribe of A Nnawael النوايل . She became famous in February, 1912 for participating in all the battles against the Italians in Tripoli region since the invasion. She was injured when a bullet hit her chest. She was transported to her home for treatment and rest. After two weeks she was back to take her position between the Mujahedeen. Paul Tristan, correspondent of the French newspaper ‘Le Petit Marseillais’ of the city of Marseille became fond of her and gave her a present: A Sword. Georges Remond, correspondent of the Parisian ‘L’Illustration’ took a picture of her holding her sword as you see below. Georges Remond wrote also that twelve fighting women joined her, in the Al Azizia Mujahedeen camp, later on arriving from Fezzan.

GEORGES REMOND WROTE FROM YEFREN.....

“We crossed Jabal Nafussa at Teji تيجى, Al Joush الجوش, Shakshouk شكشوك, Jadu جادو, Zentan الزنتان and on 28/01/1912 we arrived in Yefren. I was met by Major Yousef Jamal, Commander of Turkish garrison in the region, who spoke very well French. He welcomed me in perfect French and gave his orders for our lodging to be prepared. He then invited us to a dinner of Turkish dish of lamb and meat sauce.
The following day he accompanied me in a tour around Yefren. We visited Wadi Al Rummia, a valley of about 3 km long, 1 ½ km wide and 300-400 meters deep. At the bottom of the valley were seen some roman ruins. Major Y. Jamal, who was present in Tripoli city when the Italians invaded, told me his story:
‘The position of the Turks was very difficult during the first two weeks. The Libyans accused us of selling their country cheap to the Italians and refused to stand up with us or provide us with supplies or camels. But as soon as the Turkish officers and soldiers succeeded in organizing few skirmishes against the Italian enemy, the Libyan realized that we didn’t betray their cause and changed heart. The Libyan leader of the peoples of Jabal Nafussa –Sulliman Al Barouni-, the Leader of Tripoli city –Mohamed Farhat Alzawi- (Gheriani:Both of them were members in the Turkish Parliament) and other religious leaders and tribal chiefs ignited the call for Jihad against the Italian enemy. The spirit for resistance was widespread and recruits came upon us from everywhere, Beduins from far lands, people of mountains and the plains, from the oasis of distant Fezzan and from far away Sudan.
We started achieving few victories which paralyzed the Italians and frozen them within the confines of the city of Tripoli. They couldn’t venture outside the limits of the city.
We established our headquarters then in Souk Al Juma, a village only 4 km east of the city. We resisted the Italians advance over there for 40 days. However, the Italians had an unlimited line of supply, of men and modern arms. The sea to the north was open to them and to Italy, while our line of supply was only what the Libyan could gather and spare from their homes and villages, thus very limited (Gheriani: from Turkey only few men -mosly volunteers- and smuggled arms, and some doctors and male nurses arrived).
So finally, we were forced to retreat to the interior, to Al Azizia – 40 km south of Tripoli.
However, the unity between Libyans and Turks was forged by blood. The Mujahedeen kept arriving in great numbers. After being organized, trained and disciplined by the Turkish officers they became a force to be reckoned with for they didn’t fear death.
On the other side, the invading Italians used treachery, wile and deceit. They bought through their agents few Libyans in the city of Tripoli to become their stooges and propaganda mouths presenting the Italians as progressive, democratic and superior force to the Turks.
(Gheriani: Here there are thirteen first names mentioned in the narration. The translator –Dr. Mohamed El Wafi- declined to mention their last names for fear that the author, being a foreigner might have misspelled them, or that possible malice of the Turkish officer against some Libyan families made him name them as traitors. We have to remember that the descendants of some of these people may still live. I have read in another source that one of those collaborators was preaching the Italians name while his son was fighting against them in Al Azizia)
These traitors were given large amount of money by the Italians to promote a campaign of propaganda in favor of the Italians between their fellow Libyan in order to stop the resistance and raise the white flag.
In brief, the situation of the people of Tripolitania is desperate, while on the other side, the Italian army and navy were in perfect shape of preparedness and organization.’ (Here ends the narration of Major Y.J.)

Then how against all these obstacles and with so few arms, the resistance continued like a miracle until now. How could this resistance achieve some victories at all.
How could it become a formidable danger threatening the Italian invasion?
This was what even the Mujahedeen themselves, who made these victories, found hard to explain.
This would be the objective of my trip across Libya – to find out ,to describe and try to explain to my readers.
Finally, we bid our farewell to the Turkish officers and Libyan notables out side of Yefren on 29/01/1912 and hit the road toward Gharyan.”

GEORGES REMOND CROSSED THE BORDERS OF TRIPOLITANIA

G. R. wrote:
“I crossed the Libyan borders on horseback from Tunisia at Zeheba ذهيبة check point on 17/01/1912. I was accompanied by my Algerian translator Al Allami Alleash العلمى عليش and an Algerian Sebahi horseman من فرسان السباهى assigned to me as a guardian until I would arrive safely at the town of Nalut, by 1st Lieutenant Buffet and his deputy Lieutenant Billier – from the French Army stationed at the borders.
I arrived Yesterday afternoon in Nalut (the first western town of Jebel Naffusa). The town consisted of a few white houses, another type of homes dug in the earth and then some fortified village built on the sides of a very deep valley. In the middle there was a formidable castle –Quasar. Its walls were built from huge rocks and its summit was shining under the sun glare. In the sunset, the view seemed to my as coming out of legends.
The following morning I walked with my companions in the lanes of Nalut and entered its Quasar through a low doomed arch. I saw the faces of men covered by white robes and sitting in groups In the shadows. The width of those lanes was no more than one meter, may be even less. On both sides, there were stairs leading up to rooms like birds nests or more like holes engraved in the rocks. People here used these spectacular rooms as homes (in times of unrest) or stores for their harvest. Above my head I saw some beams of wood between the walls to prevent them of crumbling down the lanes. Then we walked out to the sunshine where we came upon a wide valley descending deeply between two hard mountains.
Nalut population was estimated at 4000 citizens of whom only 1000 remained. Men have gone to join the war at the battle fields in Azizia and near the coast against the Italian invader. The people I met offered me their best hospitality, and at noon we were invited to eat the traditional Bazin which consisted of a solid pudding of barley flower, of hot spicy sauce and big chunks of lamb meat. The meal was presented to us together in a big dish made of wood, its cover made beautifully of colored palm tree leaves. We ate together using our fingers (Bazin has to be eaten by fingers!) and it was very delicious.
After lunch, I talked with a camel owner negotiating hiring his camel. I discussed my trip with the local Turkish and Libyan authorities presented by the Police Chief, Deputy of Local Governor and one of the Telegraph employees. I took their advices about the rout of my journey which I will continue tomorrow.
After two days, I was ready to leave Nalut on the road to Gharyan. I was told the caravan I would join includes the camel carrying presents and clothes sent from Italian families in Italy to Italian prisoners of war held captive in Gharyan – of which I was asked to take care of their delivery at their destination before entering Libya.”

The interior of the old Quasar of Nalut

GHARYAN ..... NINETY FOUR YEARS AGO

Armies of Mujahedeen gathering in the advanced positions
in the district of Ben Gasheer 20 km from the city of Tripoli.

Major Fathi, Commander of the Army, walking with some
Gharyan notables.

Georges Remond wrote:

“Upon my arrival to Gharyan on the 2nd of February 1912, I was received by Major Fathi Bey, who used to occupy the post of Military Attaché at the Othman Embassy in Paris. Since the beginning of this war Major Fathi proved to be a good administrator, organizer and a brave commander. He offered me his friendship and hospitality. As a matter of fact, all Turkish officers I met offered me their best hospitality, and here in Gharyan it was with a special flavor.
I have to mention that I was asked before entering the Libyan frontiers –from the Tunisian borders- to deliver a load carried by a camel which contained clothes, presents and food parcels sent from Italian families to the Italian prisoners of war in the city of Gharyan. Colonel Nashaat Bey, General Commander of Othman Armed Forces in Tripolitania, already ordered personally for those parcels to arrive safely to their destination and hired a camel which carried the parcels at the expense of the Turkish government.
Later on I met the Italian POW and I was granted the freedom to speak freely with them in Italian. My first question was, “Have you been well treated?”
They answered, “Yes..Also the doctors here are continuing in observing and treating our wounds and maladies. When we were captured we feared the worst, but the Turkish doctors and officers, and the Libyans as well, treated us from the beginning with a good, humane and manly manner”
I made a thorough investigation to find out if the Italians were telling the truth or were afraid of their captors but I became convinced that they were telling the truth and there was no pressure or threats making them telling lies in order to protect themselves.
I met also both of Dr. Yousef and Dr. Refaat, who were Turkish and trained in Paris hospitals, the first had his medical training in Hopital Cochin and the second in Hopital Val de Grace.
The POW told me that they had become accustomed to eating the traditional Gharyan dishes like ‘Zammita’ and the spicy “Bazin”, and asked me to inform their families in Italy through what I would write in my magazine, that they are treated fairly and both Libyans and Turks don’t treat their POW badly. I took finally my leave and wished them safe return to their country and that peace may come to the land.
It was believed in the beginning of the Italian invasion last year that the Libyan resistance will retreat to the mountains and leave the plains to the invaders. However, the Italians failed to advance into the interior until now, and the Turk-Libyan forces are still camping in Azizia, only 40 km from the city of Tripoli, and attacking the Italian garrisons on the coast.
When descending from Gharyan at Abughilan, the Libyans who accompanied me told me that the Holy Man –Sidi Abdussalam Lassmar- in his predictions told that: ‘The People of Tripoli will be defeated in the beginning, then they will conquer their enemies in the valley of Abughilan itself, and then the dawn of Islam will rise again upon this land’

On the 5th of February, 1912, I arrived at Azizia where there were Turkish Forces and Libyan volunteers –Mujahedeen- gathering in full force.”

Georges Remond was a French reporter de guerre sent by his Parisian weekly ‘L’Illustration’ from 17/01/1912 to 30/06/1912 to cover the war events –from the Libyan side- after the Italian invasion.
He collected then his writings about his travels in a book he called:
“Aux Camps Turco Arabes’
Notes de Route et de Guerre en Cyrénaïque et en Tripolitaine---
The book was translated to Arabic by Dr. M. El Wafi –Fateh University- in 1972.