[3] At the age of 17, he left his family home after a dispute with his father[4] and traveled to Marseille, then to Moselle, where he found employment.

There, he issued false certificates for evaders of the draft,[5] helped Jews prepare for escape and hiding, and alerted other resistance members who were under surveillance.

[6] It is likely that he coordinated with Bel Hadj El Maafi, one of the leaders of the Algerian resistance in Lyon, who is also known for intervening in Saint-Fons in support of the Jewish community.

Georges Durand, known as "Doris" in the Resistance,[11] testified on December 11, 1947, that Khemdoudi had been infiltrated among the German authorities on the orders of the Resistance, that his business was looted during his arrest, that he was promoted to the rank of sub-lieutenant for his actions, and that "thanks to his tireless activity and great patriotism, a large number of workers were saved by the Armée secrète.

"[citation needed] In a letter to the military governor of Lyon, Bel Hadj El Maafi stated that Khemdoudi had "prevented the departure to Germany of a large number of individuals of North African, European, and Jewish origin.

[7] In March 2023, he was featured in the exhibition "Ces résistants oubliés" (These Forgotten Resistance Fighters) in Saint Chamond.