Hassiba Ben Bouali

Summary

Hassiba Ben Bouali (Arabic: حسيبة بن بوعلي) (18 January 1938 – 9 October 1957) was a leader and fighter in the Algerian independence war (1954–62).

Hassiba Ben Bouali
حسيبة بن بوعلي
Bouali in 1955
Born
Hassiba Ben Bouali

(1938-01-18)18 January 1938
Died9 October 1957(1957-10-09) (aged 19)
Cause of deathKilled in action
Alma materUniversity of Algiers
OrganizationArmée de Libération Nationale (ALN)
Known forBattle of Algiers
MovementFront de Libération Nationale (FLN)

Biography edit

Hassiba Ben Bouali[1] was born in El-Asnam (Today, Chlef), Algeria,[2] into an aristocratic family.[3]

Her parents moved to Algiers in 1947, where she studied at the Lycée Delacroix (high-school). She joined the Scout Movement, and her travels made her aware of the conditions of the Algerian people under the colonial government. This motivated her to join the Union générale des étudiants musulmans algériens (General Union of Algerian Muslim Students) in 1954, at the age of 16. She participated in the nationalist struggle until her death. In the 1957 Battle of Algiers, she and three companions including Ali Ammar (aka Ali La Pointe) were killed when French forces bombed their hideout in the Casbah.

Benbouali was depicted in the movie The Battle of Algiers by Italian director Gillo Pontecorvo. One of the largest avenues in Algiers and the university of Chlef were named after her.

References edit

  1. ^ "Hassiba, la femme d'exception!". Al HuffPost Maghreb (in French). 14 February 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  2. ^ Ghada Talhami (2012). Historical Dictionary of Women in the Middle East and North Africa. Scarecrow Press. p. 55. ISBN 978-0810868588.
  3. ^ Courrière, Yves (1985). Le temps des léopards (in French). Verviers/Paris: Marabout Université. pp. 399–400. ISBN 978-2-501-00670-5.

External links edit

  • Universite Hassiba Ben Bouali biography (French)