Omar Mukhtar, of the Mnifa, was born in the small village of Zanzour, near
Tobruk in eastern Barqa in Libya. Beginning in 1912, he organized and, for
nearly twenty years, led native resistance to Italian colonization of
Libya. Italian armed forces captured and hanged him in 1931.
Early life Omar Almukhtar was born in eastern
Cyrenaica, Butnan District, in the village of Zawiyat Zanzur east of
Tobruk, in the Tripolitanian Province of the Ottoman Empire. He was orphaned
early and was adopted by Sharif El Gariani, nephew of Hussein Ghariani, a
political-religious leader in Cyrenaica. He received his early education at the
local mosque and then studied for eight years at the Senussi university at
Jaghbub, which was also the headquarters of the Senussi Ibadi Movement. In 1899
he was sent with other Senussi to assist the warlord and slave trader Rabih
az-Zubayr in Chad. Italian invasion
In October 1911, during the Italo-Turkish War, an Italian naval
contingent under the command of Admiral Luigi Faravelli reached the shores of
Libya, then a territory subject to Ottoman Turkish control. The admiral
demanded that the Turkish administration and garrison surrender their territory
to the Italians or incur the immediate destruction of the city of Tripoli and
Benghazi. The Turks and their Libyan allies withdrew to the countryside
instead of surrendering, and the Italians bombarded the cities for three
days, then proclaimed the Tripolitanians to be "committed and strongly bound to
Italy." This marked the beginning of a series of battles between the Italian
colonial forces and the Libyan armed opposition in the East of Libya under
Omar Mukhtar for 22 years. Guerrilla warfare
A teacher of the Qur'an by profession, Mukhtar was also skilled in the
strategies and tactics of desert warfare. He knew local geography well
and used that knowledge to advantage in battles against the Italians, who were
unaccustomed to desert warfare. Mukhtar repeatedly led his small, highly alert
groups in successful attacks against the Italians, after which they would fade
back into the desert terrain. Mukhtar’s men skillfully attacked outposts,
ambushed troops, and cut lines of supply and communication. The Italian army was
left astonished and embarrassed by his guerrilla tactics.
In the mountainous region of Jebel Akhdar in 1924, Italian Governor Ernesto
Bombelli created a counter-guerrilla force that inflicted a severe setback to
rebel forces in April 1925. Mukhtar then quickly modified his own tactics and was
able to count on continued help from Egypt. In March, 1927, despite
occupation of Giarabub from February 1926 and increasingly stringent rule
under Governor Attilio Teruzzi, Mukhtar surprised Italian troops at Raheiba.
Between 1927 and 1928, Mukhtar reorganized the Senusite forces, who
were being hunted constantly by the Italians. Even General Teruzzi
recognized Omar's qualities of "exceptional perseverance and strong
will power." Pietro Badoglio, governor of Libya from
January 1929, after extensive negotiations concluded a compromise with
Mukhtar similar to previous Italo-Senusite accords. At the end of
October, 1929, Mukhtar denounced the compromise and re-established a unity of
action among Libyan forces, preparing himself for the ultimate confrontation
with 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, and Benito Mussolini,
initiated a plan to break the Cyrenian resistance: the 100,000 population of
Gebel would be relocated to concentration camps on the coast, and
the Libyan-Egyptian border from the coast at Giarabub would be 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.
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." Capture and execution
Mukhtar's struggle of nearly twenty years came to an end on 11 September
1931, when he was wounded in battle near Slonta, then captured by the Italian
army. The Italians treated the native leader hero as a prize catch. His
resilience had an impact on his jailers, who later remarked upon his
steadfastness. His interrogators stated that Mukhtar recited verses of peace
from the Qur'an. In three days, Mukhtar was tried,
convicted, and, on 14 September 1931, sentenced to be hanged publicly. When
asked if he wished to say any last words, Mukhtar replied with a Qur'anic
phrase: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un."We surely belong to Allah and
to Him we shall return". 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 the POW camp of Suluq at the age of 70
years. Legacy
Mukhtar's face appears on the Libyan ten-dinar bill.
His final years were depicted in the movie Lion of the Desert, starring
Anthony Quinn, Oliver Reed, and Irene Papas. It was based on the struggles of
Mukhtar against Rodolfo Graziani's forces.
Omar Al-Mukhtar University In 2009, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi
wore a photograph of Mukhtar in Italian captivity on his chest while on a state
visit to Rome, and brought along Mukhtar's elderly son during the visit.
With the Libyan Civil War beginning 17 February 2011, Omar Mukhtar again became
a symbol for a united, free Libya and his picture is depicted on various flags
and posters of the Free Libya movement. Rebel forces named one of their brigades
the "Omar Mukhtar brigade" after him. A masjid is named after Mukhar in Tampa,
Florida, USA, known as Masjid Omar Al Mokhtar
A street is named after Mukhtar in Gaza City, known as Omar Mukhtar Street.
A street is named after Mukhtar in Cairo, Egypt, known as Omar Al Mukhtar
Street. A street is named after Mukhtar in the
West Bay area of Doha, Qatar known as "Omar Al Mukhtar Street".
A street is named after Mukhtar in Tunisia, in the city of Bizerta.
References External links
Italian occupation and resistance Secret proceedings in the Benghazi trial
Why Libya Commemorates the 'Black Day' Lion of the Desert at the Internet Movie
Database