Siege of Najaf (1918) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Siege of Najaf (1918) |
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| Part of the Mesopotamian Campaign of World War I | |||||||
 Aerial view of Najaf, 1918 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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Jam'iya al-Nahda al-Islamiya
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Francis Balfour William M. Marshall † |
Najm al-Baqqal  |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 1 brigade | ~30,000 citizens | ||||||
The Siege of Najaf was a battle that happened in the city of Najaf, Iraq. It took place during World War I. British forces fought against Iraqi rebels in 1918.
Najaf had been controlled by local leaders since 1915. These leaders took over after an uprising against the Ottoman Empire. In 1917, the city came under British control. However, many Iraqis felt the British wanted to occupy their land, not just free it.
Because of this, a group called Jam'iya al-Nahda al-Islamiya formed. They wanted to resist British rule. The uprising started on March 19, 1918. A British officer, William M. Marshall, was killed. The British then surrounded the city on March 23. They cut off all supplies. The city surrendered on May 4, 1918. Leaders of the rebellion were later punished. This siege is often seen as an important event leading to the larger 1920 Iraqi Revolt.
Contents
Why Did the Siege Happen?
Ottoman Rule Weakens in Najaf
After the Battle of Shaiba in April 1915, the Ottoman Empire lost much respect. People in Mesopotamia, including Najaf, felt brave enough to challenge Ottoman power. They were ready to revolt.
There are two stories about how the revolt began. One story says that Ottoman soldiers treated local women badly. This made people very angry. On May 22, rebels attacked government buildings. They also cut telegraph lines to stop help from arriving. After three days of fighting, the Ottoman governor agreed to let his soldiers leave safely.
The second story says a soldier named Karim al Haji Sa'ad entered Najaf. He had 30 men with him. They fought the Ottomans for a day. Then, more help arrived, and the Ottomans left. Both stories agree that the revolt was against the Ottomans. But it was not to help the British. It was to make Najaf more independent.
Najaf Becomes Independent
After the revolt, Najaf became an independent city. It was ruled by four local leaders, called sheikhs. Their names were Saiyid Mahdi al Saivid Salman, Haji ‘Atiyah Abu Qulal, Kadhim Subhi, and Haji Sa‘ad ibn Haji Radhi. These sheikhs collected taxes, sometimes by force.
Najaf still traded with the Ottoman Empire. But it also started to build ties with Britain. The British took control of Najaf in 1917. The exact details of how this happened are different in various accounts. Some say a British officer, Captain Francis Balfour, was put in charge in July 1917. Others say British rule began in August 1917. Another story says a pro-British tribe moved near Najaf. When Najafis attacked them, the British sent troops to take control.
Rising Tensions with the British
In early 1918, British troops arrived near Najaf. The local sheikhs might have thought the British were busy elsewhere. In mid-January, Najafis fired on a British patrol. When the British asked for an explanation, the sheikhs attacked British posts. This started a small revolt.
However, the sheikhs did not have much support from the people. The British quickly took back the city on January 19. Najaf was then ordered to pay a large fine. The sheikhs collected this money by taking it from the citizens.
Tensions grew because it became clear the British wanted to occupy Iraq. They were not just liberating it. New taxes and British officers in charge showed this. An anti-British group formed in Najaf. It was called Jam'iya al-Nahda al-Islamiya.
The leaders of this group were unsure about starting a revolt. But a trader named Haji Najm al-Baqqal wanted to act. He hoped a bold action would make the whole city, or even the country, rise up against Britain. Some reports also suggest that foreign agents encouraged the rebels.
The Uprising and Siege
The Start of the Revolt
On the morning of March 19, 1918, rebels entered the Najaf citadel. They were led by Haji Najm al-Baqqal. They wore disguises like the British-employed Arab police. Inside, they attacked Captain William M. Marshall. He had been stationed in Najaf since February 1918.
Punjabi guards drove the rebels out of the citadel. But then the guards themselves were surrounded by members of Jam'iya al-Nahda al-Islamiya. Najaf's chief sheikh, Abu Qulal, helped lead this uprising. Other sheikhs, Kadhim Subhi and Sa‘ad ibn Haji Radhi, also supported it. Only Sheikh Saivid Salman opposed the revolt.
British Captain Francis Balfour, who was in Kufah, responded quickly. He moved half the police out of the city. The other half found safety in Saivid Salman's house. The rebels told the British they wanted to govern themselves. They did not want British interference.
The British Surround Najaf
Four days after the uprising, on March 23, the British began their siege. They surrounded Najaf with barbed wire. All ways for supplies to enter the city were cut off. This led to shortages of food and water inside Najaf.
The Najafis took control of some hills called Tel Huwaysh. They also guarded the city walls. Their troops mostly used old Turkish rifles.
The British made four demands:
- The rebel leaders must surrender without conditions.
- The city must give 1,000 rifles.
- The city must pay a fine of 50,000 rupees.
- 100 people would be sent to India as prisoners.
The British said they would keep the city surrounded until these demands were met.
For the next two weeks, there was occasional gunfire. The siege became tighter. The Najafis tried to get help from other tribes. But their messenger was caught by British forces and stopped.
On April 7, the British launched a large artillery attack. They captured the Huwaish mounds. These hills overlooked the town. Two Indian battalions helped with this. Finally, the rebels could not last any longer. They surrendered on May 4. The blockade ended. Rebel leaders were punished on May 25.
What Happened After the Siege?
After the revolt failed, one of the rebel leaders, Mohammad Jawad al Jaza’iri, wrote a poem. He wrote it before he was punished. The poem spoke about their strong will to fight. It talked about protecting their faith and the pride of the Iraqi people. It described the battles and the British planes dropping bombs. It also spoke of the sadness of being captured.
The Najaf uprising was small and did not last long. But Iraqis learned an important lesson. They realized they needed help from other tribes to fight the British successfully. A bigger uprising happened in 1920. It lasted longer but was also eventually stopped by the British.
Key People in the Siege
British Side
- Francis Cecil Campbell Balfour (1884–1965): A British military officer. He was in charge of the area around Najaf. He organized the siege of the city.
- William Macandrew Marshall (1889–1918): A British Indian Army captain. He served in Mesopotamia during World War I. He was stationed in Najaf in February 1918. He was killed by rebels on March 19, 1918.
Rebel Side
There were 12 main rebel leaders.
- Haji Najm al-Baqqal (died 1918): A rebel leader and bazaar trader. He started the uprising by attacking William M. Marshall.
- Abbas Khalili (1895 or 1896–1972): A rebel leader. He avoided punishment by escaping to Iran. He lived there for the rest of his life.
- Mohammad Jawad al Jaza’iri (died 1918): A rebel leader and a poet.
How Historians See the Siege
Many Iraqi historians see the 1918 Najaf uprising as a "practice run" for the bigger Iraqi revolt against the British in 1920. They believe it was part of a long journey towards Iraqi independence.
However, some historians, like Fanar Haddad, disagree. He says the Najaf rebellion was a local event. It was mainly driven by anti-British feelings related to religion. He believes the rebels fought as "Arab Muslims" or "Najafi Muslims," not yet as "Iraqi Muslims." He points out that the rebels' demands to the British did not mention Iraq.
But he also agrees that the rebellion was important. It made anti-British feelings stronger. It also added to a shared feeling of unfair treatment against the British.
Images for kids
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Aerial view of Najaf, 1918
