Des bandits face au pouvoir colonial

From the insurrection of 1871 to the emergence of nationalist groups between the wars, Algeria entered a period of triumphant colonialism. The administration was strengthened, land was massively transferred to European settlers and order seemed to reign in this colonized territory.
However, on closer inspection, rural life was still marked by lively social conflict. The use of forest lands is the subject of bitter confrontations. Confiscated land often continues to be occupied. Above all, the emergence of rural banditry never ceased to preoccupy the colonial administration. In the 1890s, the authorities saw banditry as a potential breeding ground for insurrection. This perceived resistance prompted a repressive response that was met with deafening hostility from rural society, which regularly thwarted attempts to destroy the gangs. Rewards for denunciation or capture, internment of bandits' families, military campaigns, sentencing to prison or capital punishment are just some of the measures taken to overcome resistance to his authority.