530 Chapter 5
rebelling against the sultan Abdelhafid. France, long thinking of Morocco as a future
possession and mindful of the interests of her nationals in Morocco, intervened.
French forces came to the defense of the sultan, whose troops were already com-
manded by a French officer. Before too long, France had occupied Morocco. Attention
was momentarily diverted toward Germany when, on July 1, 1911, a German gunboat
Panther arrived at Agadir to press German hesitations about the French moves in
Morocco (see MID#315). Germany did not ask for Moroccan territory but did ask
for almost all of French Congo as a compromise. Ending this dispute (with British
assistance) allowed France to formalize its protectorate over Morocco with the Treaty
of Fez on March 30, 1912.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from April 15, 1911. End Date changed from
June 30, 1911.
MID#1746
Dispute Number: 1746
Date(s): February 8, 1958
Participants: 220 France/600 Morocco
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Morocco accused France of attacking a Moroccan border village with
mortar fire from Algeria.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from September 28, 1960. End Date changed
from September 28, 1960.
220 FRANCE/616 TUNISIA
MID#266
Dispute Number: 266
Date(s): February 8, 1958 to June 17, 1958
Participants: 220 France/616 Tunisia
Outcome (and Settlement): Compromise (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: When Tunisia gained independence in 1956 it requested that the French
turn the base at Bizerte over to NATO control, but the French refused and the two
parties agreed to address the issue at a later time. However, Tunisia became more
adamant from February 8, 1958, when France bombed the Tunisian village of Sakiet
Sidi Youssef, killing 79, in an attempt to end support for Algerian rebels from Tunisia.
Tunisia responded with a blockade of the French naval and air base at Bizerte, and on
February 14, it published a claim to the base.
The French rejected Tunisia’s claim to the base in April. In addition, Tunisia and
France disputed which country held sovereignty over Garat El Hamel (to the south)
and whether France could lay claim to territory south of Garat El Hamel. Tunisia