| 1972 Moroccan coup d'état attempt | |||||||
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 Hassan's damaged Boeing 727 after the 1972 Airmen's coup attempt | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Government of Morocco | Coup plotters | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 KingHassan II | Mohamed Oufkir †Mohamed Amekrane  | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 8 killed and 40 wounded | |||||||
The1972 Moroccan coup attempt was an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate KingHassan II of Morocco on 16 August 1972. The attemptedcoup d'état occurred inMorocco when a rebel faction within the Moroccan military attempted to shoot down an aircraft carrying theKing of Morocco,Hassan II. The attempt was orchestrated by GeneralMohamed Oufkir, a close advisor to King Hassan. He was assisted byMohamed Amekrane, commander of the Moroccan air force base atKenitra. The coup and protests aimed at overthrowing theauthoritarian monarchy of King Hassan and hisAlaouite dynasty inMorocco and forming ademocraticrepublic that represented theMoroccan people instead.[1] On August 16, fourNorthrop F-5 jets, acting on Oufkir's orders, intercepted King Hassan'sBoeing 727 as it returned fromFrance.[2] Reportedly, King Hassan grabbed the radio and told the rebel pilots, "Stop firing! The tyrant is dead!" Fooled, the rebel pilots broke off their attack, believing that their mission had been accomplished.[3]
Hassan's plane, which had been strafed by the air force jets, killing eight and injuring 40,[4] landed safely atRabat'sairport.
The coup occurred a year after another attempted military coup against KingHassan II's regime. 250 rebels based in the Ahermoumou cadet training school attacked the King's palace on his 42nd birthday, killing 91 people and injuring 133.[5]
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Oufkir had gained power after the coup in 1971, moving from the Minister of Interior to Minister of Defence. Many had believed he planned the first coup to facilitate this rise.[6]
On 16 August 1972, as King Hassan was returning to Morocco from a personal visit to France, fourRoyal Moroccan Air Force pilots, flyingNorthrop F-5 fighter jets, attacked theBoeing 727, It was said that Major Kouera el-Ouafi led this attack.[7][2] The planes shot holes through the fuselage, killing some passengers. During the attack, Major Kouera el-Ouafi plane's was damaged and was forced to bail out, but was captured shortly afterward.[7] One plane broke off, strafing a nearby airfield and killing many on the ground.[8]
Allegedly, the rebel pilots broke off their attack on the King's aircraft after the King himself grabbed the radio and told the rebel pilots, "Stop firing! The tyrant is dead!" Believing their mission to have been accomplished, the rebel pilots broke off their attack.[3]
Eight passengers on the royal jet were killed and forty injured, however, the jet was able to land safely atRabat airport.[4]
Following the arrest of individuals alleged to have taken part in the failed coup attempt, 220 men were prosecuted, all of whom were officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers from the Kenitra air force installation. Most of them had only carried out the directives.[9]
Kenitra Air Base, where most of the rebellious air force officers were based, was surrounded and hundreds arrested.[8]
Oufkir was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds later on 16 August, ostensibly from suicide when he learned the King knew of the betrayal.[10][11] Many of his relatives were imprisoned, not being released until 1991, speculated to be because of international criticism for possible human rights abuses.[12] GeneralMohamed Amekrane fled toGibraltar after the coup's failure; he failed to receive asylum and was extradited back to Morocco where he wasexecuted by firing squad.[13]