Ifni War

Quick Facts: Who was Ifni War?

Subject:

Ifni War

Known for:

The 1957–58 conflict between Morocco and Spain over West African territories.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Ifni War, sometimes called the Forgotten War (la Guerra Olvidada) in Spain, was a series of armed incursions into Spanish West Africa by Moroccan insurgents that began in November 1957 and culminated with the abortive siege of Sidi Ifni. The city of Sidi Ifni had been ceded to the Spanish Empire in 1860 at the end of the Hispano-Moroccan War. After Morocco achieved independence in 1956, it sought to claim Spain's remaining possessions in West Africa. Violent demonstrations against Spanish rule broke out in Ifni in April 1957, and in October Moroccan militias began converging near the territory. Moroccan forces attacked in November, forcing the Spanish to abandon most of the territory and retreat to a defensive perimeter around Ifni.

Career & Major Achievements

Supplied by the Spanish Navy from the sea, the Spanish garrison was able to resist the siege, which lasted into June 1958. In Spanish Sahara, Moroccan units, now reorganised as the Moroccan Army of Liberation, engaged in heavy fighting with Spanish forces at El Aaiún and Edchera. By February 1958, a joint Spanish and French offensive had driven the Moroccans out of Spanish Sahara. Hostilities ceased in April 1958 (although small skirmishes still occurred) with the Treaty of Angra de Cintra, signed by the Spanish and Moroccan governments, by which Cape Juby and most of the Ifni territory were transferred to Morocco. The city of Sidi Ifni remained in Spanish possession until 1969, when, under international pressure, it was relinquished to Morocco.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Morocco ceded the city of Sidi Ifni to the Spanish Empire at the conclusion of the Hispano–Moroccan War in 1860 under the Treaty of Wad Ras, but Spain did not occupy the city until 1934. The following decades of Franco-Spanish collaboration resulted in the establishment and extension of the Spanish protectorate in Morocco south of the city to Cape Juby. In 1946, Spain's coastal and inland colonies were consolidated as Spanish West Africa. When Morocco regained independence from France and Spain in 1956, the country expressed a keen interest in all of Spain's remaining colonial possessions in Morocco, claiming that they were historically and geographically all part of Moroccan territory. Sultan Mohammed V encouraged efforts to re-capture the land and personally funded anti-Spanish guerillas to claim Ifni back for Morocco.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1860: 1860 Milestone — The city of Sidi Ifni had been ceded to the Spanish Empire in 1860 at the end of the Hispano-Moroccan War.
2. 1946: 1946 Milestone — In 1946, Spain's coastal and inland colonies were consolidated as Spanish West Africa.
3. 1956: 1956 Milestone — After Morocco achieved independence in 1956, it sought to claim Spain's remaining possessions in West Africa.
4. 1957: 1957 Milestone — The Ifni War, sometimes called the Forgotten War (la Guerra Olvidada) in Spain, was a series of armed incursions into Spanish West Africa by Moroccan insurgents that began in November 1957 and culminated with the abortive siege of Sidi Ifni.
5. 1958: 1958 Milestone — Supplied by the Spanish Navy from the sea, the Spanish garrison was able to resist the siege, which lasted into June 1958.
6. 1969: 1969 Milestone — The city of Sidi Ifni remained in Spanish possession until 1969, when, under international pressure, it was relinquished to Morocco.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Ifni War

True or False: “Did the Treaty of Angra de Cintra transfer all of Ifni to Moroccan control immediately after hostilities ceased in 1958?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The treaty transferred Cape Juby and most of the Ifni territory, but the city of Sidi Ifni itself remained under Spanish possession until 1969.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• A. A. Milne — Historical peer (Died in 1956) (1956): Celebrated English author, famed for Winnie-the-Pooh and children's literature.
• Aileen Wuornos — Historical peer (Born in 1956) (1956): American serial killer known for murdering seven male clients in Florida.
• Abhijeet Bhattacharya — Historical peer (Born in 1958) (1958): Veteran Indian playback singer known for Hindi, Bengali, and diverse regional music.
• Alec Baldwin — Historical peer (Born in 1958) (1958): Versatile American actor known for dramatic depth and comedic timing.
• Adam Gilchrist — Historical peer (Born in 1969) (1969): Legendary Australian cricketer, redefining the wicket-keeper-batsman role with aggressive flair.
• Adam Riess — Historical peer (Born in 1969) (1969): Astrophysicist known for evidence of accelerating universe expansion via supernovae.

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