SUMMARY
Emerging in the 1960s as a tribal uprising in the Dhofar region, the government of Oman faced an insurgency by the socialist Arab nationalist PFLO (al-Jabha al-Shaabiya li-Tahrir Uman; Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman). PFLO wanted to overthrow the Sultan of Oman and all traditional regimes in the Arab Gulf. Backed by British, Iranian and Jordanian troops, the Omani army was able to cut the supply lines from South [Yemen](/#/country/678) to the rebels. It had defeated PFLO by the end of 1975.
IN DEPTH
The origins of the PFLO rebellion
The conflict over the governmental power in Oman had its origins in the region of Dhofar covering the southern third of Oman. Prior to 1970, Dhofar was only loosely tied to Oman. It was the most economically depressed region in the country and the Omani Sultan Said bin Taimur tended to treat Dhofar as his private estate, overtaxing the Dhofaris and forbidding them to go abroad to work.
Facing political and economic hardships, tribally-oriented separatist movements organised as DLF (Jabhat al-Tahrir al-Dhofar; Dhofar Liberation Front). They worked for a limited territorial aim, the independence of Dhofar from Oman, and started a low-level guerrilla campaign in the mid-1960s. The conflict resulted in less than 25 deaths a year and therefore it is not recorded by UCDP. However, gradually, the rebels expanded their goals and gained in strength. The Dhofaris resonated with social-revolutionary ideology, which was strong in neighbouring socialist South Yemen. In 1968, at the group’s second congress, radical leftists took over the leadership of the rebel group. Reflecting this change, DLF was dissolved and replaced by a new organisation, PFLOAG (al-Jabha al-Shaabiya li-Tahrir al-Khalij al-Arabi al-Muhtall; Popular Front for the Liberation of the Occupied Arab Gulf). PFLOAG’s stated aim was to remove the traditional conservative leadership from power in all Arab countries in the Gulf region. PFLOAG was in 1974 renamed PFLO (al-Jabha al-Shaabiya li-Tahrir Uman; Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman).
Sultan Qabus’ dual strategy towards the rebellion (1970-1971)
By 1969, the rebels controlled large parts of the Dhofar region. However, the conflict took a new turn in 1970 when Qabus, the son of Said bin Taimur, overthrew his father and seized government power. Qabus, who had been educated in Great Britain, reversed many of his father’s repressive policies and employed a dual strategy towards the rebels.
On the one hand, Sultan Qabus granted the Dhofaris a considerable degree of autonomy and spent almost one-forth of the country’s development funds on Dhofar. He also immediately offered amnesty to all rebels who had surrendered. His reforms led to the defection to the government of many of the non-socialist members of the rebel group.
On the other hand, Sultan Qabus built up his army that had consisted of only 3000 troops in 1970 with the aim to defeat the remaining rebels militarily. He also requested military assistance from states that supported his government.
Foreign Involvement
Many states were apprehensive of the growth of left-wing movements in the region and feared that Oman was on the verge of a revolution. They therefore backed the Omani Sultan Qabus. Great Britain dispatched some hundred troops to the oil-rich country starting in 1970. Likewise, about 2 000 Iranian troops were sent to Oman in 1973. Jordan contributed a small battalion in 1975. Other states supporting the Omani government were Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and India.
In turn, PFLO was backed by troops from socialist South Yemen, from whose territory it conducted most of the operations. The rebel group reportedly received weapons, financial assistance and/or military training from China, the Soviet Union, Cuba, East Germany and North Korea as well as Syria and Libya.
The Fall of PFLO (1972-1975)
Sultan Qabus’ strategy of sticks and carrots proved effective. A decisive fight was fought in 1972 over the city of Mirbat, which many call the downward turning point of the rebellion. The involvement of British, Iranian and Jordan troops further strengthened the government side. At the same time, the rebels were also weakened by the reforms initiated by Qabus as they lost local support and saw defections to the government and internal splits.
Admitting that it had not succeeded in bringing rebellion beyond the territory of Dhofar, PFLOAG changed its name to PFLO (al-Jabha al-Shaabiya li-Tahrir Uman, Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman) in 1974. The change of name implied a change in the Fronts tactical objectives. It now presented itself as a “national liberation movement” fighting against British and Iranian “occupation armies” in Oman, and not as social revolutionaries trying to overthrow a number of Arab governments in the Gulf area.
In 1975, backed by Iranian, British and Jordanian troops the Omani Sultan’s army cut off the supply from South Yemen to the rebels and regained control over the Dhofar region. The rebels were, thus, being deprived both of local support and supplies from South Yemen. At the end of the year, Sultan Qabus declared victory over PFLO. Although very sporadic fighting continued in the following years, the most violent episode was over by the end of 1975.
