Uqba ibn Nafi

Uqba ibn Nafi founded the city of Kairouan in present-day Tunisia as a military base and center for Islamic expansion in North Africa. The city became a major religious and cultural center, housing the Great Mosque of Kairouan.

Uqba led Arab forces across the Maghreb, reaching the Atlantic coast. He subdued Berber tribes and established Umayyad control over territories from Egypt to Morocco, extending Islamic rule across North Africa.

Uqba ibn Nafi was ambushed and killed by Berber forces under Kusaila at Tahuda in present-day Algeria. His death temporarily halted Arab expansion in the Maghreb and led to a Berber resurgence.