Controversy Erupts Over Tariq Ibn Ziyad’s Origins in New Ramadan TV Series

Currently in production in several locations including Beirut, the series "Fath Al Andalous" by Kuwaiti director Muhamad Sami Al Anzi is generating reactions. A new controversy has arisen around the origin of the military leader Tariq Ibn Ziyad. The MBC group, which will broadcast the series during Ramadan, is accused of having "stolen Algerian history, because it did not attribute the conqueror of Andalusia to Algeria, the country of origin according to them." Algerians point to a "web of lies."

These allegations have prompted reactions from Moroccans. They have recalled that Tariq Ibn Ziyad is recognized as Moroccan in the textbooks of many countries, including Algeria during the 1980s. They have also recalled the 5-pound Gibraltar banknote with the representation of Tariq Ibn Ziyad and the Moroccan five-pointed star in the background.

In the wake of this, the director of the series has tried to put an end to the controversy. Muhamad Sami Al Anzi has denounced "a deliberate attack on his series before even having knowledge of its content."

Several Arab actors play different roles in the series "Fath Al Andalous." Among them, the Moroccan Hicham Bahloul, who plays the role of Chaddad, Tariq Ibn Ziyad’s friend and army commander, and the Syrian actor Suhail Jebai, who plays the role of the Muslim leader.