1967 Algerian coup attempt

1967 Algerian coup d'état attempt
Date 14–16 December 1967 Location Algeria Result Coup suppressed
Belligerents
People's Democratic Republic of Algeria	Algerian People's National Army rebels
Commanders and leaders
Houari Boumédiène	Tahar Zbiri

The 1967 Algerian coup d'état attempt was a failed attempt to overthrow the Algerian president Houari Boumédiène by the Chief of Staff of the Algerian People's National Army, Colonel Tahar Zbiri, from 14 to 16 December 1967.^[1] The coup was quickly suppressed by the use of air power against the rebel tank columns.^[2]

Coup

There had been a power struggle in 1966–1967 between Boumédiène and former guerilla leaders and Marxists. Colonel Tahar Zbiri had been involved in the 1965 coup that ousted Ahmed Ben Bella and was rewarded with a promotion to chief of staff, however him and Boumédiène drifted apart over the years.^[3]

On the night of 14 December 1967, Colonel Zbiri marched on Algiers from Chlef with army troops and two tank battalions, and was mainly supported by Chaoui people. Gendarmerie units blocked Zbiri's forces at the Bou Roumi river near the towns of El-Affroun and Mouzaïa.^[3] The air force bombed the rebels near the town of El-Affroun causing sizable civilian casualties, where the wreckage of tanks was still to be seen until the end of the 1970s.^[4]

On 15 December, president Boumédiène fired Colonel Zbiri and announced in a national broadcast: "Irresponsible elements have committed an act of clear disobedience which threatens to plunge the country into a dangerous adventure. In consequence I have decided to directly assume the command of the national popular army". On 16 December, the government announced that the last of the rebel soldiers surrendered and "misled" troops returned to their barracks. Zbiri and other rebel commanders fled into the mountains.^[3]

Aftermath

No significant internal challenges emerged from inside the government after the 1967 coup attempt. After the coup, Boumédiène insisted on collective rule and asserted his direct and undisputed leadership in Algeria.^[5][6] He moved swiftly to eliminate his opponents from positions of influence, forming a long term politically stable government.^[2] He dissolved the general staff and solidified his control over the Algerian army by directly assuming many staff responsibilities. He excluded ANP leadership from day-to-day policy making but remained close to the army commanders whose support he needed to maintain political control.^[7] There was a failed assassination attempt of Boumédiène in April 1968.^[4]

References