The Rif War Military_operation was an armed Bearing_arms conflict Hostile_encounter fought Hostile_encounter from 1920 to 1927 between the colonial power Spain ( later joined Becoming_a_member by France ) and the Berber tribes of the Rif mountainous region of Morocco .

The Rif War Military_operation was an armed Bearing_arms conflict Hostile_encounter fought Hostile_encounter from 1920 to 1927 between the colonial power Spain ( later joined Becoming_a_member by France ) and the Berber tribes of the Rif mountainous region of Morocco .

In 1909 , Rifian tribes aggressively confronted Confronting_problem Spanish workers of the iron mines of the Rif , near Melilla , which led to Causation the intervention of the Spanish Army .

As a result , the Spanish retreated Escaping to a few fortified positions while Abd el-Krim ultimately created Creating an entire independent state : the Republic of the Rif .

The Rif War Military_operation is still considered controversial Quarreling among historians .

Others consider Convincing it one of the last colonial wars Military_operation , as it was the decision of the Spanish to conquer Conquering the Rif — nominally part of their Moroccan protectorate but `` de facto '' independent — that catalyzed the entry of France in 1924 .

The Rif War Military_operation left Bringing a deep memory both in Spain and in Morocco .