This article explores the memory of the Rif War victims (1921-1926) in present-day Morocco and the role of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the conflict. It argues that ICRC’s approach to humanitarian action in the Rif was influenced by changes in the perception of victims after the First World War. Humanitarian assistance in the Rif was, however, undermined by diplomatic tensions between the ICRC and the French and Spanish governments. Lessons from the conflict can be drawn to assess the role of humanitarian associations in conflict situations.