Retired Major General Faleh bin Mohammed, the Officer who led the Operation that end the Siege of Masjid Al Haram in 1979 passed away

Retired Major General Faleh bin Mohammed Al-Dhahiri has passed away at 86 in Jeddah. In 1979, he led the operation that ended the siege of Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) in Makkah. He went on to serve as commander of King Abdulaziz Military College. He was laid to rest in Jeddah on the day of his passing.

In 1979, a group of armed men seized Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and held thousands of worshippers hostage.

The Saudi security forces fought to regain control of the mosque, and the siege lasted about two weeks.

The operation ended on December 4, 1979, after the attackers were defeated and the mosque was brought back under government control.

Source: Islamic Info