Omar al-Mukhtar

Also known as M, Mk

Leader of the Senussi resistance against the Italian fascist occupation (1858–1931)

AI overview

Omar al-Mukhtar was a Libyan religious leader who led armed resistance against Italy's occupation of Libya from the 1920s until his capture and execution in 1931. His struggle against Italian fascism made him an important symbol of anti-colonial resistance in North Africa and a revered figure in Libyan national history.

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Wikidata facts

Instance of: human
Given name: Omar
Gender: male
Citizenship: Libya
Place of birth: Cyrenaica
Place of death: Libya
Occupation: partisan
Religion: Sunni Islam
Noble title: sheikh
Image: Omar Mukhtar 13.jpg
Number of children: 1

Show 7 more facts

manner of death: homicide
date of death: 1931-09-16
Commons category: Omar Mukhtar
date of birth: 1858-08-20
Commons gallery: Omar Mukhtar
name in native language: عمر المختار
cause of death: hanging to death

Sources (4)

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Encyclopedic overview

ʿUmar al-Mukhtār Muḥammad bin Farḥāt al-Manifī (Arabic: عُمَر الْمُخْتَار مُحَمَّد بِن فَرْحَات الْمَنِفِي; 20 August 1858 – 16 September 1931), called The Lion of the Desert, known among the colonial Italians as Matari of the Mnifa, was a Libyan revolutionary and Imam who led the native resistance in Cyrenaica (currently Eastern Libya) under the Senussids, against the Italian colonization of Libya. A teacher-turned-general, Omar was a prominent figure of the Senussi movement and is considered the national hero of Libya and a symbol of resistance in the Arab and Islamic worlds. Beginning in 1911, he organised and led the Libyan resistance movement against the Italian colonial empire during the First and Second Italo-Senussi Wars. Externally, he also participated in armed opposition against the French in Chad and the British in Egypt. 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

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Omar al-Mukhtar” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.