Event Grand Mosque seizure

If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this event you can find it here: All Statistics

Extremist militants in Saudi Arabia calling for the overthrow of the House of Saud besieged and took over Masjid al-Haram, the holiest Islamic site, in the city of Mecca. .

Chronology

Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation

  • November 1979: 20 November - 4 December 1979: armed civilians calling for the overthrow of the House of Saud took over Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The insurgents declared that the Mahdi (the "redeemer of Islam") had arrived in the form of one of their leaders, Mohammed Abdullah al-Qahtani, and called on Muslims to obey him. For nearly two weeks Saudi Special Forces, advised by three GIGN French commandos, fought battles to reclaim the compound.