Salih al-Ali
Syrian Alawite military commander (1883–1950)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Salih al-Ali[a] (1883 – 13 April 1950) was a Syrian Alawite military commander who led the Alawite revolt of 1919–1921 against the French mandate of Syria.
Salih al-Ali صالح العلي | |
|---|---|
Al-Ali during the rebellion of 1919 | |
| Born | 1883 |
| Died | 13 April 1950 (aged 65–66) |
| Known for | Commander of the Syrian Revolt of 1919 |
Background
Salih al-Ali was born in 1883 to a family of Alawite notables from al-Shaykh Badr, in the Syrian Coastal Mountain Range in northwest. He reportedly clashed with the Ottomans in 1918 before their withdrawal from Syria,[1] killing two Ottoman soldiers who were harassing a wife of his father. This act gained him a local reputation as a rebel. After his father's death, he built a shrine for him and reportedly performed miracles at the site, according to local legend.[2]
Rebellion against the French
Start of the rebellion
Organizing the rebellion
Final stages
The balance of power began to shift in favor of the French after they conquered Damascus, defeating a makeshift army at the Battle of Maysalun on 24 July 1920. Around this time al-Ali began collaborating, through Ibrahim Hananu's meditation, with Turkish Kemalist forces fighting the French occupation in southern Anatolia. A letter addressed directly to Mustafa Kemal in January 1921 asking for weapons for their common "jihad" against the French is preserved in the Turkish ATASE military archives in Ankara.[3]
Later years
Al-Ali remained in hiding until General Gouraud issued a general amnesty in 1922. He returned to his home and abstained from all political activity until his death on 13 April 1950 in Tartus.[4]
Legacy
Salih al-Ali became a celebrated figure after the Syria's independence. Al-Ali, in his first public appearance since 1922, was a guest of honor of president Shukri al-Quwatli at the Evacuation Day celebrations on 17 April 1946.[4]