Battles of the Revolt in
Al-Hijaz As the Great Arab Revolt
started, many Arabic tribes came alongside Shariff Hussain Ibn Ali to support
him. The forces of the Great Arab Revolt waged the following battles: Attacking Jeddah and
Mecca. It was on Saturday
(9 Shaaban 1334 AH), June 10, 1916, the day of the revolt, where the Arab
Forces attacked division (22) stationed in Hijaz and composed of battalions
(128, 129, 130). The total number of the Turkish forces was more than twelve
thousand men armed with cannons and rifles, while the Arab Revolt Forces
estimated 4,000 tribesmen primarily from the Harb tribe. The first Turkish
garrison to surrender to the Arabs was the Jeddah Garrison, on June 16, 1916,
and then followed by the Turkish posts on the Road of Mecca – Jeddah. Fighting in Mecca. It began on June
10, 1916, when the Arab forces besieged the government Building (Al-Hamidia),
the Bash Qarqool center, The Citadel of Ajyad, and the Grool barracks. And the
revolt forces cut off the telephone wires with Jeddah and Al-Taif and isolated
the area, and they occupied the castle of Ajyad, then the Barracks of Grool,
and then the rest of the locations. The siege of Al-Taif. The revolt forces
led by Prince Abdullah bin Al Hussein moved to attack the regular Turkish
division stationed in Al-Taif. It was the most important military task. The
attack on AL-Taif was launched after midnight on (11 Shaaban 1334 AH) June 12,
1916, from the north. The weapons of the Arab forces were guns, swords, and
bayonets, while the Turkish troops owned cannons. The situation continued to be
balanced between the forces of both sides until the Arab forces were provided
with four mountain cannons, then the Arab forces had the upper hand. After
multiple battles, Al-Taif fell in the hands of the Arab forces on September 22,
1916, and from June to September 1916, “Al-Laith" also fell in the hands
of the Arab forces on June 23 and "Al-qunfuthah" on July 8, and
"Yanbu" on July 27 and "Balah" on August 1. Thus, the main
cities in Hijaz became under the authority of Sharif Hussein bin Ali. Fighting on the northern
front. (AL-Medina Almonawara). Putting the revolt
forces on this front was critical, as Princes Ali and Faisal and their
surrounding tribesmen cut off the railway line and removed quantities of rails
at a distance of (2)km. Prince Ali tried to impose a siege on Al-Medina,
preventing water from reaching it, and on June 8, 1916, they attacked the ocean
station, but the attempt to seize it did not succeed. Fakhri Pasha went out to
fight them and clashed with Arab forces on August 3, but he withdrew, and his
forces suffered heavy losses. On August 19, he attacked Prince Faisal's forces
again, and a bloody battle ended with the withdrawal of the Turks and the
capture of some Turkish soldiers by The Arabs. Resumption of fighting.
Fighting resumed when the Eastern Army, led by Prince Abdullah, attacked
AL-Medina. This attack forced the Turkish commander to reconsider his plans and
withdraw his troops towards AL-Medina. Prince Abdullah used the strategy of
indirect proximity, which allowed the liberation of the armies of Princes Ali
and Faisal, who were under Turkish pressure as Arab forces advanced (eastern
army), and Prince Abdullah took a post in Wadi Al-Iss in Rabian. His forces
attacked the railway line day and night until the Arab forces were liberated.
And then Prince Faisal went across the coast to "Al-Wajih" and
captured Amlij. The British fleet bombed Al-Wajih then Prince Faisal was able
to enter Al-Wajih. Thus, the military position changed in favor of the Arabs in
early 1917. Turkish forces became within a wide siege circle concentrated
around Al-Medina, and the railway. The Arab armies consisted of three armies: The Southern Army,
led by Prince Ali and centered in Rabigh. The Northern Army, led
by Prince Faisal and centered in Yanbu. The Eastern Army, led by
Prince Abdullah and centered in Wadi Al-Ais. The total number of
forces of the Great Arab Revolt was between (25-30) thousand fighters,
including about 2,000 regular soldiers. The Siege of Al-Madina.
After the preparation to besiege Al-Madina was complete, the Hashemite forces
moved from Rabigh under the leadership of Prince Ali and attacked the Turk
forces in Bir Darwish. The fighting continued for three days during which, the Hashemite
Arab Army won Bir Darwish and Majzan. Fakhri Pasha retreated to Abar Ali. The
total Turkish forces were (14,000) fourteen thousand soldiers in Al-Madina. After Prince Faisal
entered Al-Wajih, both (Thugur Dhaya and Al-Moeleh) fell in the hands of the
Arab forces, and the beach of Hijaz became free of Turkish bases, as three
Turkish divisions were disabled. But Fakhri Pasha continued to defend
Al-Madina, the liberation of Al-Madina was delayed until after liberating the
Levant. Because the forces of the Great Arab Revolt did not receive the
necessary support and reinforcement, due to reasons that Britain and France
contributed in.. After signing the truce
with the Turks, Sharif Hussein bin Ali sent letters to Fakhri Pasha urging him
to surrender, but the latter refused. Yet when Fakhri Pasha despaired of
stubbornness, he surrendered to Princes Ali and Abdullah.