The Military Territory in Southern Tunisia: Its Boundaries and Management Mechanisms (1881–1956)

Abstract

This article explores the French campaign in southern Tunisia and its subsequent occupation. It investigates the reasons behind adopting a military system to govern the region and traces the stages of establishing this new military administration. The article also outlines the territorial boundaries of the military zone and examines its human and natural characteristics. It then focuses on the Bureaus of Native Affairs, their roles, and their authority in managing the affairs of the local population and enforcing the French colonial agenda. The study concludes by addressing the bureaus’ violations of the locals’ rights, their control over everyday life, and the responses of the local population demanding the abolition of the military zone and the integration of the south into the system of civil administration, as was the case in other regions of the Tunisian Kingdom.