ˈæftɚ bɪɡˈɪnɪŋ stˈʌdiz ʌv ˈæɡɹɪkˌʌltʃɚ ænd lˈɔː æt fɹˈɛntʃ jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾiz, hiː dᵻzˈɜːɾᵻd ðə fɹˈɛntʃ ˈɑːɹmi ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti ˈeɪt ænd dʒˈɔɪnd ðɪ ˈæntaɪfɹˈɛntʃ ældʒˈɪɹiən ɹᵻsˈɪstəns ɪn tuːnˈiːʒə, wˌɛɹ hiː wˈɜːkt fɚðə pɹəvˈɪʒənəl ældʒˈɪɹiən ɡˈʌvɚnmənt ɪn ˈɛɡzaɪl.
After beginning studies of agriculture and law at French universities, he deserted the French Army in 1958 and joined the anti-French Algerian Resistance in Tunisia, where he worked for the provisional Algerian government in exile.