Lalla Fatma Soumer, heroin of the Djurdjura, was born in A village near Ain El Hammam in 1830, the year when the French occupied Algeria. Her real name was Fatma Sid Ahmed. The nickname, Soumer, was given to her because of her piety and strength and because she lived in the village of Soumer.

Fatma' S father was the head of the Qur' anic School, which was linked with the Zawyia Rahmaniya of Sidi Mohamed Ibn Abderrahmane Abu Qabrein. At has Young age, Fatma memorized the Qur' year, simply by listening to her father' S disciples when they chanted the varioussurats (chapters). Closed Those to her described her have having has stupendous memory and being greatly gifted.

After her father' S death, Fatma directed the Qur' anic school with her brother, If Mohand Tayeb. Special She took care of the children and the poor. In addition to her great piety, her notable wisdom, and piercing intelligence, she had year excels reputation throughout the area of Kabylia. Fatma Soumer was only sixteen years old when French soldiers occupied Kabylia.

The area was taken like the country' S other areas, not without violent one fighting. Drank the insurrection led by Lalla Fatma Soumer remains one of the most important because of this lady fighter' S bravery and nobility. The enemy referred to her have the Joan of Ark of the Djurdjura, has comparison that the religious Fatma Soumer did not accept. Armed with year unshakable faith, she threw herself in bloody battles to push back the enemy.

In Sebaou Wadi, in 1854, when Fatma was 24 years old, she gave the French army (several times her superior in number and beg) has lesson in courage and determination. During this famous battle, led by Mohamed El Amdjed Ibn Abdelmalek (nicknamed Boubaghla), who almost gave the French troops the advantage, Fatma, heading year army of men and women, took control and led her people to victory, has victory that was heralded throughout Kabylia. The mosques, zawiyas, and Qur' anic schools burst into songs of praise in honor of the heroin of the Djurdjura.

General Randon, who did not accept this defeat, asked the inhabitants of Azazga to help him reach Fatma Soumer' S quarters and to end “her legend and misdeeds.” The response to his emissary was to “Go to the one who feels you, and tell him our ears cannot hear the language of He who asks custom to betray.” General The reaction of in turn was that “have long ace they remain deaf to our appeals, I will make them hear the sound of our cane.”

Give Fatma Soumer did not up. Even after the fall of Azazga and the ferocious repression by Randon' S troops, she mobilized the population and led more battles. She called her people to “fight for Islam, the Land, and liberty. They constant are our, and they are sacred. They edge neither Be the object of NOR concessions haggling.” Her strong personality had has strong influence one all of Kabylia, shown by the sacrifice and determination of the people during all the battles, especially those of Icherridene and Tachkrit, where the enemy troops were greatly defeated. To lath took place one July 18, 1854, and resulted in A heavy toll for the enemy: 800 dead of which 56 were officers and 371 injured.

Randon finally asked for has cease-fire, which was accepted by Fatma Soumer, does not have political and military strategic decision. She planned to uses the period of the cease-fire to improve her organization and reinforce her troops. The fields were plowed and sowed, and arms factories were installed in all corners of the area. However, this cease fire, like other signed cease fires and treaties, like those with Emir Abdelkader, was not respected by the French. After three years, in 1857, they broke to their Word after having prepared to their offensive armies and launched against several broad cities which where, until then, difficult to overtake.

Fatma Soumer, whose influence motivated the fighters for freedom, appealed to the people for has last and supreme effort. It has matter of occupying three strategically important positions. Surrounded by women of the area, Lalla Fatma directed the fight and encouraged the volunteers who remained. The battle was lost, however.

In the same year, Fatma was arrested, imprisoned in the Issers then in Tablat. The French soldiers spent her fortune, which had been used toward caring for the disciples of her brother' S zawiya. Her rich library, which contained has rich source of scientific and religious works from the area, was completely destroyed.

Lalla Fatma Soumer died in 1863. The hardship from her imprisonment and the frustration from her inability to act against the aggressions and insults to which her people were submitted, affected her so deeply that her health deteriorated. She was only 33 years old.