465:
French machine gun fire each time. The rebels launched a second major assault in the early morning of 17 September, but once more, no significant number of rebels were able to breach French lines. However, a number of rebels managed to ambush French legionnaires in al-Musayfirah's narrow streets. This part of the battle was largely marked by hand-to-hand fighting, despite the bulk of the French forces being cavalry-based. After sunrise, French aircraft bombarded rebel forces 27 times within the span of three hours. A French rescue column, consisting of a battalion of the 16th (or the 18th) Tirailleurs under the commanded of
Colonel
798:
493:. On 21 September Gamelin's 8,000 troops marched to al-Suwayda. After minimal resistance, the French captured the city but returned to al-Musayfirah after two months, due to the virtual desertion by al-Suwayda's inhabitants, the lack of water and the surrounding rebel-dominated mountainous countryside. Although many Druze leaders surrendered to French rule after the rebels' defeat at al-Musayfirah, these submissions did not hold once the French withdrew from al-Suwayda and the Jabal al-Arab region. The withdrawal was perceived by the rebels and their sympathizers throughout Syria as a victory over the French army.
443:
the rebels, gaining the ire of the government. The village was now seen as "treasonous" by the authorities and thus liable to the harshest punishment: execution of the majority of male residents and demolition of homes. In general, most villages along the front lines of the Hauran were in an awkward position, having to possibly face retribution from either the authorities for providing safe haven to the rebels or from the rebels themselves for not agreeing to host them. However, executions were rarely administered by the rebels as a punitive measure against uncooperative villages.
41:
171:
162:
153:
141:
103:
367:
subsequently withdrew, although a number were captured by French forces prior. Several of al-Musayfirah's residents were also killed before and during the battle. The French victory, the first significant one during the revolt, paved the way for their capture of al-Suwayda on 24 September, although they withdrew two months later due to inhospitable conditions.
442:
Al-Musayfirah's inhabitants had accepted the rule of the
Mandate and conceded to the imposition of taxes by the French authorities, which to the latter, was enough to consider it a "submitted" village, as opposed to a rebellious one. However, during the uprising, the residents of al-Musayfirah hosted
410:
Although the Druze leadership at the time favored autonomous rule from
Damascus, tensions developed when the inhabitants viewed the increasing involvement of the French authorities as overriding interference in their affairs and a way of undermining the Jabal's traditional leadership, particularly
366:
The battle commenced on 16 September when Druze rebels launched an early morning attack against French positions. Unable to significantly breach French lines, the rebels experienced heavy casualties after sunrise when they were consistently bombarded by French aircraft for three hours. The rebels
455:
which was divided into the 5th
Battalion of the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment (4e REI) commanded by Major Kratzert and the 4th Squadron of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (REC) commanded by Captain Landriau. These troops formed an advance force dispatched by General Gamelin. Upon their arrival,
464:
Seeking to attack French positions before the bulk of
Gamelin's army from Damascus arrived to the village, the rebels made a charge against al-Musayfirah on 16 September. While they were able to consistently charge against French positions for around 10 hours, they were successfully repulsed by
477:
By the end of the battle, several hundred Druze fighters were slain, although the sources vary about the actual figure with
Michael Provence stating it was between 300 and 400, while Jean-Denis Lepage writing it was close to 500. Among the deceased rebels was the local chief of
456:
al-Musayfirah's residents were either expelled or killed. The French forces promptly began to establish fortifications in the village, building stone walls, digging trenches and setting up barbed wire and machine gun turrets. A few days before, the rebel leaders had convened in
482:, Sheikh Salman Hamza as well as his four sons. On the French side, 47 soldiers were killed and 83 wounded, while all the French cavalry horses were lost, despite not being utilized. There were also about 500 wounded Druze who were captured after the battle as
486:. They were ordered by Andréa to pile up the slain rebels and residents of al-Musayfirah in front of the village to serve as an example. The POWs were subsequently executed. The battle of al-Musayfirah marked the first French victory during the revolt.
460:
to the east and, apparently with prior knowledge of the French attempt to take over al-Musayfirah, planned to attack them there. An informant from the meeting had notified the French authorities, who were now expecting an attack by Druze forces.
241:
727:
1126:
234:
1096:
435:
who arrived in
Damascus in mid-September to assemble his troops in preparation for a move against al-Musayfirah, located west of the Jabal, and from there
1136:
797:
227:
107:
375:
After the defeat of the
Ottomans and their subsequent withdrawal from Syria, the country was occupied by France in 1918, and later established the
1116:
720:
914:
1131:
674:
653:
736:
695:
617:
1091:
713:
1052:
1024:
750:
1106:
908:
359:
on 15 September. After clearing the village of its inhabitants, they set up fortifications in preparation for an assault on
1121:
881:
1111:
1101:
876:
827:
290:
902:
664:
1008:
300:
973:
685:
1034:
376:
844:
812:
782:
416:
178:
285:
452:
983:
466:
415:
family. From 1922, a number of incidents involving the two sides eventually led to the Druze leader
993:
958:
859:
839:
428:
420:
348:
340:
275:
251:
32:
869:
849:
822:
765:
336:
295:
265:
113:
451:
On 15 September al-Musayfirah was occupied by 600–800 French troops, initially coming from the
1029:
963:
854:
817:
772:
760:
691:
670:
649:
496:
A monument was later erected in al-Musayfirah to honor the rebels' efforts during the battle.
396:
380:
344:
305:
270:
988:
978:
953:
483:
118:
787:
755:
432:
388:
384:
352:
146:
74:
343:, which continued on until 1927. After initial rebel victories against French forces at
948:
399:). The latter comprised the predominantly Druze-inhabited Jabal al-Arab (also known as
1085:
1003:
968:
938:
886:
834:
777:
431:
in mid and late July and the defeated French forces came under the new leadership of
392:
356:
66:
998:
943:
643:
489:
General
Gamelin arrived at al-Musayfirah on 19 September via the rail station at
419:
declaring an uprising against the French in July 1925, which became known as the
40:
457:
436:
360:
1067:
1054:
412:
351:, an advance guard of the French Army, then under the leadership of General
705:
490:
424:
219:
45:
Sultan el-Atrache during a rebel ceremony in Hauran on 14 August 1925.
404:
170:
161:
152:
140:
102:
70:
479:
332:
125:
709:
223:
194:(Gamelin's troops numbered 8,000 but arrived after the battle)
687:
The Great Syrian Revolt and the Rise of Arab
Nationalism
379:
over the area. It set up several autonomous entities (
339:
on 17 September 1925, during the early stage of the
331:) was one of the major military engagements between
1017:
931:
924:
895:
805:
743:
25:
721:
666:French Foreign Legion: An Illustrated History
235:
16:Battle in 1925 during the Great Syrian Revolt
8:
570:
568:
566:
564:
562:
560:
558:
556:
554:
403:) region in southeastern Syria, east of the
594:
592:
590:
588:
586:
584:
582:
580:
928:
728:
714:
706:
242:
228:
220:
39:
22:
214:500 wounded and captured (later executed)
505:
1127:20th-century prisoner of war massacres
423:. The Druze won important battles at
7:
915:Franco-Syrian Treaty of Independence
439:, the principal city of the Jabal.
355:, was dispatched to the village of
1097:Battles of the Great Syrian Revolt
14:
1137:20th-century mass murder in Syria
663:Lepage, Jean-Denis G. G. (2008).
796:
169:
160:
151:
139:
101:
642:Betts, Robert Brenton (2010).
469:arrived in the evening hours.
1:
1117:Massacres committed by France
690:. University of Texas Press.
1153:
1132:French war crimes in Syria
684:Provence, Michael (2005).
909:Paulet–Newcombe Agreement
794:
648:. Yale University Press.
261:
201:
186:
132:
93:
49:
38:
30:
1025:French High Commissioner
1009:Abd al-Rahman Shahbandar
1092:1925 in Mandatory Syria
865:Battle of al-Musayfirah
737:French Mandate of Syria
624:. E-Syria. 2009-08-07.
512:Betts, 2010, pp. 85–86.
321:Battle of al-Musayfirah
33:The Great Syrian Revolt
26:Battle of al-Musayfirah
882:Syria–Lebanon campaign
845:Epic of Ain Albu Gomaa
840:1925–1927 revolt
783:Sanjak of Alexandretta
607:Provence, 2005, p. 94.
574:Provence, 2005, p. 93.
548:Provence, 2005, p. 92.
539:Provence, 2005, p. 91.
417:Sultan Pasha al-Atrash
179:Sultan Pasha al-Atrash
133:Commanders and leaders
1107:September 1925 events
1068:32.62639°N 36.34333°E
974:Mar'i Pasha al-Mallah
903:Sykes–Picot Agreement
598:Lepage, 2008, p. 131.
202:Casualties and losses
984:Kamil Pasha al-Qudsi
616:Abu Nukta, Mutasim.
329:Battle of Moussiefre
1064: /
994:Saadallah al-Jabiri
959:Mustafa Bey Barmada
877:1936 general strike
860:Battle of al-Mazraa
828:Capture of Damascus
530:Betts, 2010, p. 87.
521:Betts, 2010, p. 86.
421:Great Syrian Revolt
341:Great Syrian Revolt
253:Great Syrian Revolt
182:Sheikh Salman Hamza
157:Col. Charles Andréa
1122:Massacres in Syria
1073:32.62639; 36.34333
870:1925 Hama uprising
850:Capture of Salkhad
823:Battle of Maysalun
766:Al-Jazira Province
325:Battle of Messifre
114:Army of the Levant
1112:Massacres in 1925
1102:Conflicts in 1925
1047:
1046:
1043:
1042:
1030:Charles de Gaulle
964:Shukri al-Quwatli
855:Battle of al-Kafr
818:Franco-Syrian War
773:Jabal Druze State
761:State of Damascus
397:Jabal Druze State
314:
313:
218:
217:
89:
88:
57:17 September 1925
1144:
1079:
1078:
1076:
1075:
1074:
1069:
1065:
1062:
1061:
1060:
1057:
989:Sultan al-Atrash
979:Jamil Mardam Bey
954:Hashim al-Atassi
929:
800:
730:
723:
716:
707:
701:
680:
659:
628:
627:
614:
608:
605:
599:
596:
575:
572:
549:
546:
540:
537:
531:
528:
522:
519:
513:
510:
484:prisoners of war
256:
254:
244:
237:
230:
221:
174:
173:
165:
164:
156:
155:
144:
143:
119:French Air Force
106:
105:
51:
50:
43:
23:
1152:
1151:
1147:
1146:
1145:
1143:
1142:
1141:
1082:
1081:
1072:
1070:
1066:
1063:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1051:
1050:
1048:
1039:
1013:
920:
891:
801:
792:
788:Greater Lebanon
756:State of Aleppo
739:
734:
704:
698:
683:
677:
662:
656:
641:
637:
632:
631:
625:
615:
611:
606:
602:
597:
578:
573:
552:
547:
543:
538:
534:
529:
525:
520:
516:
511:
507:
502:
475:
449:
433:Maurice Gamelin
389:Greater Lebanon
373:
353:Maurice Gamelin
335:rebels and the
317:
316:
315:
310:
257:
252:
250:
248:
213:
208:
193:
181:
168:
167:
159:
158:
150:
149:
147:Maurice Gamelin
138:
100:
77:
75:Mandatory Syria
44:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1150:
1148:
1140:
1139:
1134:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1094:
1084:
1083:
1045:
1044:
1041:
1040:
1038:
1037:
1032:
1027:
1021:
1019:
1015:
1014:
1012:
1011:
1006:
1001:
996:
991:
986:
981:
976:
971:
966:
961:
956:
951:
949:Ibrahim Hananu
946:
941:
935:
933:
926:
922:
921:
919:
918:
912:
906:
899:
897:
893:
892:
890:
889:
884:
879:
874:
873:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
837:
832:
831:
830:
825:
815:
809:
807:
803:
802:
795:
793:
791:
790:
785:
780:
775:
770:
769:
768:
763:
758:
751:State of Syria
747:
745:
741:
740:
735:
733:
732:
725:
718:
710:
703:
702:
696:
681:
676:978-0786462537
675:
660:
655:978-0300048100
654:
638:
636:
633:
630:
629:
609:
600:
576:
550:
541:
532:
523:
514:
504:
503:
501:
498:
474:
471:
467:Charles Andréa
453:Foreign Legion
448:
445:
401:Jabal al-Druze
381:Damascus State
377:French Mandate
372:
369:
323:(also spelled
312:
311:
309:
308:
303:
298:
293:
288:
283:
278:
273:
268:
262:
259:
258:
249:
247:
246:
239:
232:
224:
216:
215:
212:300–500 deaths
210:
204:
203:
199:
198:
195:
189:
188:
184:
183:
176:
166:Capt. Landriau
135:
134:
130:
129:
123:
122:
121:
116:
96:
95:
91:
90:
87:
86:
85:French victory
83:
79:
78:
65:
63:
59:
58:
55:
47:
46:
36:
35:
28:
27:
21:
20:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1149:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1089:
1087:
1080:
1077:
1036:
1035:Henri Gouraud
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1022:
1020:
1016:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1004:Ayyash Al-Haj
1002:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
969:Khalid al-Azm
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
939:Yusuf al-Azma
937:
936:
934:
930:
927:
923:
916:
913:
910:
907:
904:
901:
900:
898:
894:
888:
887:Levant Crisis
885:
883:
880:
878:
875:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
842:
841:
838:
836:
835:Hananu Revolt
833:
829:
826:
824:
821:
820:
819:
816:
814:
811:
810:
808:
804:
799:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
778:Alawite State
776:
774:
771:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
754:
753:
752:
749:
748:
746:
742:
738:
731:
726:
724:
719:
717:
712:
711:
708:
699:
697:9780292706804
693:
689:
688:
682:
678:
672:
669:. McFarland.
668:
667:
661:
657:
651:
647:
646:
640:
639:
634:
623:
619:
618:Al-Musayfirah
613:
610:
604:
601:
595:
593:
591:
589:
587:
585:
583:
581:
577:
571:
569:
567:
565:
563:
561:
559:
557:
555:
551:
545:
542:
536:
533:
527:
524:
518:
515:
509:
506:
499:
497:
494:
492:
487:
485:
481:
472:
470:
468:
462:
459:
454:
446:
444:
440:
438:
434:
430:
426:
422:
418:
414:
408:
406:
402:
398:
394:
393:Alawite State
390:
386:
382:
378:
370:
368:
364:
362:
358:
357:al-Musayfirah
354:
350:
346:
342:
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
307:
304:
302:
299:
297:
294:
292:
289:
287:
284:
282:
281:al-Musayfirah
279:
277:
274:
272:
269:
267:
264:
263:
260:
255:
245:
240:
238:
233:
231:
226:
225:
222:
211:
206:
205:
200:
196:
191:
190:
185:
180:
177:
175:Maj. Kratzert
172:
163:
154:
148:
142:
137:
136:
131:
127:
124:
120:
117:
115:
112:
111:
110:
109:
104:
98:
97:
92:
84:
81:
80:
76:
72:
68:
67:Al-Musayfirah
64:
61:
60:
56:
53:
52:
48:
42:
37:
34:
29:
24:
19:
1049:
999:Haqqi al-Azm
944:Saleh al-Ali
864:
686:
665:
644:
635:Bibliography
621:
612:
603:
544:
535:
526:
517:
508:
495:
488:
476:
463:
450:
441:
409:
400:
385:Aleppo State
374:
365:
328:
324:
320:
318:
280:
99:
94:Belligerents
18:
1071: /
813:1919 revolt
626:(in Arabic)
337:French Army
291:Deir Ez-Zor
1086:Categories
1059:36°20′36″E
1056:32°37′35″N
500:References
437:al-Suwayda
371:Background
361:al-Suwayda
286:al-Suwayda
209:83 wounded
806:Conflicts
645:The Druze
473:Aftermath
429:al-Mazraa
413:al-Atrash
349:al-Mazraa
347:and then
276:al-Mazraa
896:Treaties
301:Damascus
187:Strength
62:Location
31:Part of
622:E-Daraa
425:al-Kafr
345:al-Kafr
306:Rashaya
271:al-Kafr
266:Salkhad
207:47 dead
192:600–800
1018:French
932:Syrian
925:People
917:(1936)
911:(1920)
905:(1916)
744:States
694:
673:
652:
447:Battle
405:Hauran
128:rebels
108:France
82:Result
71:Hauran
491:Izra'
480:Rasas
333:Druze
197:2,500
145:Gen.
126:Druze
692:ISBN
671:ISBN
650:ISBN
458:'Ara
427:and
411:the
395:and
319:The
296:Hama
54:Date
327:or
1088::
620:.
579:^
553:^
407:.
391:,
387:,
383:,
363:.
73:,
69:,
729:e
722:t
715:v
700:.
679:.
658:.
243:e
236:t
229:v
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
