He returned to join the newly formed Front de libération nationale (FLN) in 1955, under the nom de guerre of Si Tayeb. During the Algerian War of Independence (1954–62), he held political missions such as a post in the provisional government in exile of the FLN, the Gouvernement provisoire de la République algérienne, (GPRA) between 1958 and 1960. He later worked as FLN representative in Guinea, which supported the Algerian revolt.