 He managed to unite several Berber tribes of the Middle Atlas and fought smaller battles.The town of Khénifra was lost to the advancing French forces in June 1914, but in November of the same year, the Battle of El Herri took place and Zayani inflicted heavy losses (around 600 casualties) upon the French military.The battle was later dubbed the 'Moroccan Dien Bien Phu' in reference to the decisive battle in the French Indochina War.