Libyan coup d'etat (1969)
| 1969 Libyan coup d'état | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Arab Cold War | |||||||
 Gaddafi at an Arab summit in Libya, shortly after the September Revolution that toppled King Idris. Gaddafi sits in military uniform in the middle, surrounded by President Gamal Abdel Nasser (left) and Syrian President Nureddin al-Atassi (right) |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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 Soviet Union
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 King Idris Abdel Aziz El Shalhi |
 Muammar Gaddafi Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr Abdullah Senussi
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| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | 70 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| CYDEF: 1 killed, 15 wounded | 0 | ||||||
Free Officers Movement
Supported by:
The 1969 Libyan coup d'état, also known as the al-Fateh Revolution or the 1 September Revolution, was a military coup d'état executed in Libya by the Free Officers Movement, a group of rebel military officers led by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, that led to the overthrow of King Idris of Libya.
The discovery of significant oil reserves in 1959 and the subsequent income from petroleum sales enabled the Kingdom of Libya to transition from one of the world's poorest nations to a wealthy state. Although oil drastically improved the Libyan government's finances, resentment began to build over the increased concentration of the nation's wealth in the hands of King Idris. This discontent mounted with the rise of Nasserism and Arab nationalism/socialism throughout the Arab world.
On 1 September 1969, a group of about 70 young army officers known as the Free Officers Movement and enlisted men mostly assigned to the Signal Corps seized control of the government and, in a stroke, abolished the Libyan monarchy. The coup was launched at Benghazi; and, within two hours, the takeover was completed. Army units quickly rallied in support of the coup and, within a few days, firmly established military control in Tripoli and elsewhere throughout the country. Popular reception of the coup, especially by younger people in the urban areas, was enthusiastic. Fears of resistance in Cyrenaica and Fezzan proved unfounded. No deaths or violent incidents related to the coup were reported.
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