Omar al-Mukhtar

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Omar al-Mukhtar
عُمَر الْمُخْتَار
Idris Al-Senussi
Succeeded byYusuf Borahil
Personal details
Born(1858-08-20)20 August 1858
Senussi Order
Branch/service Senussid Military Adwar
Years of service
1896–1902, as ruler of Ayn Kalk in Western Sudan (Chad)
1902–1923, as ruler of Zawiyat Laqsur in Cyrenaica
1923–1931, as Commander of all Senussid Military Adwar
Battles/warsItalo-Turkish War
Senussi campaign
Senussid-Italian War

Omar al-Mukhṭār Muḥammad

Italian colonial empire during the First and Second Italo-Senussi Wars. Externally, he also fought against the French colonization of Chad and the British occupation of Egypt.[5] After many attempts, the Italian Armed Forces managed to capture Al-Mukhtar near Slonta when he was wounded in battle by Libyan colonial troops
, and hanged him in 1931 after he refused to surrender.

Early life

Omar Al-Mukhtar was born in 1858 in the town of

Jaghbub,[8] the holy city of the Senussi Tariqa. He became a popular expert on the Quran and an imam
, joining the confraternity of the Senussi. He also came to be well informed of the social structure of his society, as he was chosen to settle intertribal disputes.

Mukhtar developed a strong relationship with the Senussid Movement during his years in Jaghbub and in 1895, Al-Mahdi Senoussi traveled with him south to Kufra, and on another occasion further south to Karo in Chad, where he was appointed as sheikh of Zawiyat Ayn Kalk. When the French Empire encroached on Chad in 1899, he was sent among other Senussites to help defend Chad from the French, as the Senussi considered their expansion dangerous due to their missionary activities in Central and West Africa. In 1902, Omar was recalled north after the death of Al-Mahdi, the new Senussi leader Ahmed Sharif as-Senussi appointed him as Sheikh of the troubled Zawiyat Laqsur in Northern Cyrenaica.

Italian invasion

Main articles: Italo-Turkish War and Italian Libya
The Italian invasion.

In October 1911, during the Italo-Turkish War, the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) under the command of Admiral Luigi Faravelli reached the shores of Libya, then a territory subject to Ottoman control. The admiral demanded that the Ottoman administration and garrison surrender their territory to the Italians or incur the immediate destruction of the city of Tripoli and Benghazi. The Ottomans and their Libyan allies withdrew to the countryside instead of surrendering, and the Italians bombarded the cities for three days, and then proclaimed the Tripolitanians to be 'committed and strongly bound to Italy'.[9] This marked the beginning of a series of battles between the Italian colonial forces and the Libyan armed opposition in Cyrenaica.[10]

Guerrilla warfare

Main articles: Libyan resistance movement and Second Italo-Senussi War
Omar Mukhtar photographed with Libyan Senussi fighters.

A teacher of the

Regio Esercito (Italian Royal Army) was left astonished and embarrassed by his guerrilla tactics.[11]

In the mountainous region of

Senusite forces, who were being hunted constantly by the Italians. Even General Teruzzi recognized Omar's qualities of "exceptional perseverance and strong willpower."[This quote needs a citation
]
General Rodolfo Graziani, the Italian military commander from March 1930. A massive offensive in June against Mukhtar's forces having failed, Graziani, in full accord with Badoglio, Emilio De Bono (Minister of the Colonies), and Benito Mussolini, initiated a plan to break the Libyan Mujāhideen: the 100,000 people of Jebel Akhdar would be relocated to concentration camps on the coast, and the Libyan-Egyptian border from the coast at Giarabub would be fence-closed, preventing any foreign help to the fighters and depriving them of support from the native population. These measures, which Graziani initiated early in 1931, took their toll on the Senusite resistance. The rebels were deprived of help and reinforcements, spied upon, hit by Italian aircraft, and pursued on the ground by the Italian forces aided by local informers and collaborators. Mukhtar continued to struggle despite increased hardships and risks, but on 11 September 1931, he was ambushed near Slonta. [citation needed
]

Mukhtar's final adversary, Italian

General Rodolfo Graziani, has given a description of the Senusite leader that is not lacking in respect: "Of medium height, stout, with white hair, beard, and mustache. Omar was endowed with a quick and lively intelligence; was knowledgeable in religious matters, and revealed an energetic and impetuous character, unselfish and uncompromising; ultimately, he remained very religious and poor, even though he had been one of the most important Senusist figures."[12]

Capture and execution

Omar Mukhtar entering the court room.

Mukhtar's struggle of nearly twenty years came to an end on 11 September 1931, when he was wounded in battle near Slonta, and then captured by Libyan Savaris of the Italian Army.[13] On 16 September 1931, on the orders of the Italian court and with Italian hopes that Libyan resistance would die with him, Mukhtar was hanged before his followers in Soluch concentration camp at the age of 73.

Legacy

Gallery

  • Photo of Omar Mukhtar sitting
    Photo of Omar Mukhtar sitting
  • Omar Mukhtar on 10 Dinar note (2004)
    Omar Mukhtar on 10 Dinar note (2004)
  • Omar Mukhtar while in custody.
    Omar Mukhtar while in custody.
  • Close up of Omar Mukhtar
    Close up of Omar Mukhtar
  • Omar Mukhtar in custody
    Omar Mukhtar in custody
  • Omar Mukhtar arrested by Italian officials
    Omar Mukhtar arrested by Italian officials

See also

References

  1. ^ al-Sanusiya pg.271
  2. ^ Federica Saini Fasanotti , p. 296
  3. ISBN 978-1874263647.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  4. ISBN 81-7036-713-1
  5. ^ Dan Jones; Marina Amaral (2018). The Colour of Time: A New History of the World, 1850-1960. p. 241.
  6. ^ New Times. Newspaper "Trud, ". 1948. A major role is assigned to the Arab, Emir Idris es Senussi, who aspires to become ruler of the fairly large Senussi tribe in Cyrenaica.
  7. ^ Britain), Royal United Service Institution (Great (1932). Journal. Senussi chief , Omar el Mukhtar
  8. ^ Rodolfo Graziani, "Cirenaica Pacificata" pg.269 (Benamer translation)
  9. ^ Bruce Vandervort, p. 261
  10. ^ Encyclopedia of World Biography on Omar al-Mukhtar, BookRags.com
  11. ^ Libya profile - Timeline, BBC News Asia, 1 November 2011
  12. ^ Rodolfo Graziani, "Cirenaica Pacificata" pg.265
  13. ^ Domenico Quirico (2002). Lo squadrone bianco. Milan: Edizioni Mondadori Le Scie. p. 313.
  14. ^ "Libyan rebels crack down on rogue militias - The Globe and Mail". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 1 August 2011.

External links

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Omar Mukhtar (category)
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