Word: libya
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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With a flourish worthy of Scipio Africanus, Pietro Badoglio, Marshal of Italy and Governor of the colonies of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica (now known as Italian Libya), reported to II Duce last week that 20 years of warfare were at an end. "Completely and definitely" had the rebellion there been quashed and once more peace reigned in Libya...
...Senussites are a Moslem sect founded in 1835 with the establishment of a monastery at Abu Kobeis near Mecca by the revered Sidi Mohammed ben Ali ben Es Senussi el Khettabi el Hassani el Idrissi el Mehajiri. Ever since Italy captured Tripoli (now known as Italian Libya, divided into the districts of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica) from the Turks in 1911 the Senussites have stubbornly resisted Italian penetration of the interior. One by one other Senussi chieftains have been forced to surrender, but Omar el Muktar always held...
...particular interest to the French. Their chief Moroccan rebel, the great Abd-el-Krim who surrendered in 1926, was last seen growing enormously fat in polygamous exile on the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. The capture of Omar el Muktar means that the actual pacification of Libya is imminent. Italy has always protested that the southern boundary of Libya adjoining French Africa has never been definitely fixed. French authorities have insisted with some justice that since Italy has not been able to control the territory within 100 miles of the border, the appointment of a boundary commission...
Hundreds of miles from the snows of Bardonecchia, other Italian soldiers died fighting in the Sahara. In Libya for over a year Italian troops have been waging private war against revolting Senussi tribesmen. Last stronghold of the Senussi is the Oases of Kufra, 350 miles across the open desert from the oasis of Zella, Italian base. Three columns, containing several regiments of native troops and a squadron of armored cars, escorted by a squadron of airplanes, moved against Kufra by forced march. Last week they struck. Every man and boy who could hold a rifle fought in the Senussi ranks...
France followed the victory of Kufra with mixed feelings. The southern boundary of Libya which adjoins French Africa has never been definitely settled. As long as Italy was unable to control Southern Libya the question was purely academic but last week's victory put actual Italian troops uncomfortably near actual Frenchmen...