Editing French protectorate in Morocco (section)

===Zaian War===
{{Main|Zaian War|Mouha ou Hammou Zayani}}
The [[Zaian confederation]] of [[Berber people|Berber]] tribes in [[Morocco]] fought a war of opposition against the French between 1914 and 1921. [[List of French residents-general in Morocco|Resident-General]] [[Louis-Hubert Lyautey]] sought to extend French influence eastwards through the [[Middle Atlas]] mountains towards [[French Algeria]]. This was opposed by the Zaians, led by [[Mouha ou Hammou Zayani]]. The war began well for the French, who quickly took the key towns of [[Taza]] and [[Khénifra]]. Despite the loss of their base at Khénifra, the Zaians inflicted heavy losses on the French.

With the outbreak of the First World War, France withdrew troops for service in Europe, and they lost more than 600 in the [[Battle of El Herri]]. Over the following four years, the French retained most of their territory despite the [[Central Powers]]' intelligence and financial support to the Zaian Confederation and continual raids and skirmishes reducing scarce French manpower.

After [[Armistice with Germany]] in November 1918, significant forces of tribesmen remained opposed to French rule. The French resumed their offensive in the Khénifra area in 1920, establishing a series of [[blockhouse]]s to limit the Zaians' freedom of movement. They conducted negotiations with Hammou's sons, persuading three of them, along with many of their followers, to submit to the French rule. A split in the Zaian Confederation between those who supported submission and those still opposed led to infighting and the death of Hammou in Spring 1921. The French responded with a strong, three-pronged attack into the Middle Atlas that pacified the area. Some tribesmen, led by [[Moha ou Said]], fled to the High Atlas and continued a guerrilla war against the French well into the 1930s.