Maurice Laban (born October 1914 at Biskra, died 5 June 1956 at Boudouane), a pied-noir, was a founding member of the Algerian Communist Party (PCA). In 1936, he joined the International Brigades to fight in the Spanish Civil War.[1][2]

In the mid-1950s, he was a member of the Combattants de la Libération, the guerrilla group established by the PCA after the outbreak of the Algerian War.[3] Along with Henri Maillot, another European member of the guerrilla group, he was among those killed when an informer betrayed their position to a unit of the French Army.[4][5] The band were sighted near Lamartine, east of Orléansville, an area which had not previously contained guerillas. They were pursued and attacked outside the Muslim village of Boudouane; seven members of the group were killed, among them Laban and Maillot.

References edit

  1. ^ "Algeria, 1914-1944".
  2. ^ Jean-Luc Einaudi (1999). Un Algérien, Maurice Laban. ISBN 2-86274-640-1.
  3. ^ Bouzeghrane Nadjia (2004-11-01). "Maurice laban, mort au maquis". El Watan.
  4. ^ Mitch Abidor. "The Algerian Communist Party in the War".
  5. ^ Merzak Chertouk (2007-06-18). "Henri Maillot et Maurice Laban, héros " oubliés "". El Watan.