Operation Jumelles (Operation Binoculars), launched on 22 July 1959 in the third historic province (during revolution era 1954-1962), aimed at decimating the maquis of the National Liberation Army (ALN) in the region, by using a new tactic of war based on infernal military operation made up of more than 60,000 soldiers against 12,000 mujahedeen (war veterans).
According to mujaheed Ait Ahmed Si Ouali, an ALN’s officer, this operation, set in motion as part of the action programme of general Challe, commander in chief of the French armies, was proposed to general De Gaulle by the administrative commission of Grand Kabylie of that time, who passed a motion during his session of 5 January 1959, asking general De Gaulle to strengthen the colonial military force in Kabylia.
In their argument on the strengthening of the military operation, the departmental representatives including particularly general Faure (in charge of the military and civil authorities in Great Kabylia), Delouvrier (general representative of the same department) and Azzam Ouali (deputy at the national assembly of the time), claimed to be acting in the greatest interest of the native populations, considered that “Kabylia is the key centre of the Rebellion, consequently its pacification will result in the end of the rebellion in all Algeria.”
Answering to this request, general De Gaulle strengthened the military presence in Kabylia with equipment and soldiers and entrusted the army command to general Challe, charged to execute the diabolic operation “Jumelles.”