 The FLN was not powerful enough to capture a large city, such as the capital at Algiers, but Philippeville was a mid-sized town and an important port city.In the days immediately before the attack, FLN commandos took up positions in cellars within the town, while several thousand more "fellagha" prepared to attack the French garrison troops in Philippeville, which numbered about 400.The French quietly prepared for the anticipated attack, not even acting against the commandos who they knew were there, for fear that the FLN would realize their plan had been discovered.