1965 Burundian coup attempt
An attempted coup d'etat in Burundi took place between 18–19 October 1965, when a group of ethnic Hutu officers from the Burundian military and gendarmerie attempted to overthrow Burundi's government. The rebels were frustrated with Burundi's monarch, Mwami Mwambutsa IV, who had repeatedly attempted to cement his control over the government and bypassed parliamentary norms despite Hutu electoral gains. Although the prime minister was shot and wounded, the coup failed due to the intervention of a contingent of troops led by Captain Michel Micombero.
Location of Burundi in Central Africa | |
| Date | 18–19 October 1965 |
|---|---|
| Location | Bujumbura, Kingdom of Burundi |
| Type | Military coup |
| Cause |
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| Organised by | Antoine Serukwavu |
| Participants | Faction within the gendarmerie and army |
| Outcome | Coup fails
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| History of Burundi |
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The attempted coup d'état provoked a backlash against Hutus in which thousands of people, including the participants in the coup, were killed. The coup also facilitated a militant Tutsi backlash against the monarchy resulting in two further coups which culminated in the abolition of the monarchy in November 1966 and the proclamation of a republic with Micombero as President of Burundi.