On this day in 1931, Omar Al-Mukhtar was injured in battle, captured & publicly executed by Mussolini’s Italy at the age of 73 after leading the Libyan resistance against Italian colonization 20+ years.
He remains immortalized today as a global symbol of resistance and justice.
He remains immortalized today as a global symbol of resistance and justice.
Offered his life in exchange of ordering his men to surrender, he famously responded:
“We will never surrender. We win, or we die. And don’t think it stops there, you will have the next generation to fight and after that, the next. As for me, I will live longer than my hangmen.”
“We will never surrender. We win, or we die. And don’t think it stops there, you will have the next generation to fight and after that, the next. As for me, I will live longer than my hangmen.”
Today, in times of civil war & atrocities, I believe we as Libyans must reflect on another quote even more.
When Omar Al-Mukhtar prevented the execution of two Italian prisoners, a fellow warrior responded “they do it to us!”
To which he replied,
“They are not our teachers.”
When Omar Al-Mukhtar prevented the execution of two Italian prisoners, a fellow warrior responded “they do it to us!”
To which he replied,
“They are not our teachers.”
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