Ifni War

Lore & Background

The war featured several notable engagements. At Tiliuín, 60 Tiradores de Ifni held off hundreds of Moroccans until Spanish paratroopers and Legionnaires relieved the outpost. The relief of Telata was less successful: a platoon of the Spanish Legion paratroop battalion under Captain Ortiz de Zárate suffered heavy casualties and was forced to retreat, with two dead and fourteen wounded.

Reader's Guide

The Ifni War is significant as a post-colonial conflict that highlighted Morocco's determination to reclaim territories held by Spain, and Spain's resolve to maintain its colonial possessions in West Africa. The war is often called the Forgotten War in Spain, reflecting its relative obscurity compared to other colonial conflicts.

Did You Know?

• The Ifni War is sometimes called the Forgotten War (la Guerra Olvidada) in Spain.