Name of Object:

Omar al-Mukhtar (1861–1931), leader of anticolonial resistance in Libya

Location:

Rovereto, Italy

Holding Institution:

Italian War History Museum

 About Italian War History Museum, Rovereto

Holding Institution (original language):

Museo storico italiano della guerra

Date of Object:

Unknown (1920s?)

Description:

In 1923, the head of the Senussi Muslim order Mohamed Idris charged Omar al-Mukhtār (1861-1931) with the task of leading Libyan anti-colonial resistance. Omar al-Mukhtār was leader of the Libyan anti-Italian guerrillas, until he was captured and executed by the Italians in 1931.
In 1911-12, Italy successfully waged war against Turkey for the colonial conquest of Libya. However, during WWI Italy lost control of most of the Libyan territory. After the war, it took Italy about ten years to re-establish its hold on Libyan inland areas.
Thanks to his military genius, to the wide popular support he enjoyed and the financial help provided by the Senussia, Omar al-Mukhtār was able to keep the Italians in check for years, even when the army of the invaders was ten times larger than the guerrilla forces. The Italians were able to capture him only after deporting part of the population of the Cyrenaica mountains (Gebel Akhda) in concentration camps on the coast.

Type of Object

Photograph

Citation of this web page:

Giulia Barrera "Omar al-Mukhtar (1861–1931), leader of anticolonial resistance in Libya" in "Sharing History", Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.
https://sharinghistory.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;AWE;it;84;en

Prepared by: Giulia Barrera
Copyedited by: Anne Dowell

MWNF Working Number: IT1 084