Key Facts
- Duration
- 10–24 February 1958 (14 days)
- Also known as
- Operation Ouragan / Operation Teide
- Theater
- Northern Sahara (Spanish-controlled territory)
- Primary target
- Moroccan Army of Liberation
- Territorial outcome
- Spain returned Tarfaya to Morocco post-operation
Strategic Narrative Overview
Planned in secrecy and executed between 10 and 24 February 1958, Operation Écouvillon deployed French and Spanish forces across the northern Sahara. The two-week campaign systematically targeted Moroccan Army of Liberation positions, leveraging combined military strength to overwhelm resistance fighters spread across the desert terrain. French forces additionally secured the temporary allegiance of the Reguibat tribe, consolidating control and eliminating organized armed opposition in the region within a fortnight.
01 / The Origins
In the late 1950s, the Moroccan Army of Liberation mounted armed resistance against Spanish and French colonial holdings in the Sahara. The broader decolonization of North Africa—including Algeria and Mauritania—intensified regional instability. Spain sought to retain its Saharan territories while France aimed to protect its own interests. Insurgents drew support from Berber tribes in the Sahel, prompting France and Spain to coordinate a secret joint military response to suppress the uprising.
03 / The Outcome
The operation achieved its objectives: Spain retained control over Spanish Sahara and French interests in the region were secured. As a diplomatic concession, Spain returned the Tarfaya Strip to Morocco. In response, Morocco formulated the doctrine of Greater Morocco, asserting expansive territorial claims. The operation also accelerated the transfer of military authority relevant to Mauritania's impending independence, reshaping the political and military balance across the northwestern Saharan region.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Side B
1 belligerent