Libya marked, yesterday, Wednesday, "Martyr's Day," on the 95th anniversary of the death of "Sheikh Al-Shuhada" (Elder of the Martyrs) Omar Al-Mukhtar, whom Italian colonial forces executed in the town of Soluq, south of Benghazi, in 1931, following a show trial, making him a symbol of Libyan resistance and the defense of the homeland.
اضافة اعلان
Omar Al-Mukhtar was captured on September 11, 1931, after years of leading resistance against Italian forces, before being executed on September 16 of the same year.
Official Holiday in Libya
Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah approved, on Wednesday, an official holiday for government institutions and public facilities on the occasion of "Martyr's Day," while Thursday, September 17, was designated as a day off deducted from annual leave.
In the same context, the head of the appointed Council of Ministers, Osama Hammad, issued Decision No. 143 of 2026 regarding the anniversary holiday, with both the "Government of National Unity" and "Hammad" administrations agreeing to mark the occasion with an official holiday.
Events Marking the Anniversary
Libyan institutions commemorated the sacrifices made by Omar Al-Mukhtar and his companions during the period of Italian colonization of Libya.
Among these institutions was the National Museum, which is dedicated to preserving Omar Al-Mukhtar's belongings, while the Nalut Municipality and the "Martyrs' Families" Office marked the occasion at Khalifa bin Askar Hall, with officials and members of the municipal council in attendance.
The event featured speeches recalling the sacrifices, a photo exhibition, and the distribution of two historical books, "The Martyrs of Nalut" and "The Stars Never Fade... Unforgettable Figures of Nafusa," by Dr. Salma Barqiq, as part of efforts to preserve historical memory.
The Ministry of Youth, through its Office of the Youth Volunteer Efforts Agency, affirmed that the anniversary of "Martyr's Day" represents an occasion "to recall the values of sacrifice and loyalty," pointing to "the role of young people in continuing the path of their ancestors through knowledge, thought, and innovation."
"Sheikh Al-Shuhada"
Omar Al-Mukhtar was born in 1858 in the Janzour area, east of Tobruk, and belonged to the Farhat family of the Al-Manfa tribe in the Al-Butnan region of eastern Libya.
He received his education at the Senussi Zawiya, before becoming involved in the activities of the Senussi movement.
With the start of the Italian invasion of Libya in 1911, Omar Al-Mukhtar took part in leading the resistance against Italian forces, later taking command of the Libyan resistance, continuing to fight for years until his capture in September 1931 and his execution in Soluq on September 16 of that same year.
Resource: Al Ghad.
