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I’ve come across an incredibly intriguing figure of Libyan resistance in 2 British newspapers from 1912 & 1913:
Mohammed el-Kiani el-Bimbashi. The son of an Afghan father & Albanian mother, Kiani was known across Muslim world for rousing local resistance against foreign invaders.
Mohammed el-Kiani el-Bimbashi. The son of an Afghan father & Albanian mother, Kiani was known across Muslim world for rousing local resistance against foreign invaders.
An entire chapter is dedicated to him in G. F Abbot’s The Holy War in Tripoli, the front cover & frontispiece of which features a sketch of Kiani with Libyan chiefs. Abbott’s account of Kiani is surprisingly favourable. He considered him cultured, humorous, & of refined manners.
In this photo taken by H. P. Seppings Wright, which featured in the British newspaper, The Illustrated London News on March 8th 1913, Kiani is stood next to Suleiman el-Baruni & Sheykh Soussi Bey, the governor of Yefren.
Kiani was featured in the series Elzaiman (الزعيما) which aired on Libyan TV last Ramadan. Here he is in the credits of the show wielding his flag with Barouni and the Libyan mujahideen.
Many thanks to @LallashathaV for bringing this to my attention.
Many thanks to @LallashathaV for bringing this to my attention.
