Grand Mosque seizure
November 20 – December 4, 1979 · Mecca
Armed Islamist militants led by Juhayman al-Otaybi took over the Grand Mosque in Mecca and called for the overthrow of the Saudi royal family. Saudi forces, with French advice, retook the mosque after two weeks of fighting.
Participants
Strength and losses
| Strength | Killed | Wounded | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | c. 10,000 | 127 | 451 |