For nearly ten years, Côte d’Ivoire has been apprehensive of a jihadist threat in the north. The apprehension was fostered by the French Government, which, in 1921, sent a mission to Fez, in Morocco, to establish there a protectorate, and which, in 1922, supplemented it with a military force. The mission was speedily followed by a protectorate, and the military force remained to support it. Since then, unrest has never ceased to trouble the French sphere of influence, and, in 1930, it has become acute. The Sherifian Empire is seething with fermentation, and the unrest has spread to Algeria. The situation is disquieting, for it may easily develop into a jihad, which would be a menace to peace in north-western Africa. The tribesmen of the Hinterland are arming, and they are being supplied with weapons from Europe—revolvers and cartridges from Spain, and rifles and ammunition from Germany. The tribesmen are being drilled, too, and they are acquiring the rudiments of military tactics. They are being taught to shoot straight, and to shoot together. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and, if the tribesmen become sufficiently imbued with the martial spirit, they may take to the warpath in mass. The French authorities are aware of the danger, and they are taking precautions against it. Strong garrisons have been established along the Algerian frontier, and mobile columns are in readiness to quell any rising in its initial stages. The political aims of the tribesmen are obscure; but they certainly do not desire French rule. It is possible that they aim at establishing an independent Sherifian state, under a ruler of their own choosing; but, in any case, they will have none of French interference.
Original dispatch: Côte d’Ivoire wary of jihadist threat in north 10 years on from major attack