List of 10 World Leaders Who Were Assassinated, Including Mahatma Gandhi

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - World leaders are often targeted by their opposition. Unsurprisingly, world leaders always have extra tight security. Even so, several world leaders were successfully assassinated. The death of a world leader will always be in the spotlight since it has so often had a major impact on the country and the people under their leadership.

World Leaders Who Were Assassinated

1. John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was one of the world leaders who died tragically. On November 22, 1963, Kennedy was shot dead in Dallas while riding in an open-top vehicle in front of a large crowd. His wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, was sitting next to him when the bullet struck his head. Kennedy's assassination was one of the most shocking events in United States history. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested as a suspect but was killed by nightclub owner Jack Ruby before prosecution.

2. King Faisal

King Faisal was King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975. He is remembered for saving the country's economy with reforms and modernization policies. He successfully resisted many coups against him. Unfortunately, Faisal was shot by Faisal bin Musaid (his half-brother's son) and died while undergoing treatment for his wounds.

3. Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi is known as the leader of the Indian independence movement which fought against the British colonial regime. In 1920, he took over the leadership of the Congress and pushed for India's freedom. On January 26, 1930, the Indian National Congress declared India's independence. However, his struggle ended tragically when he was murdered on January 30, 1948, by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu extremist. The shooting occurred during a prayer ceremony in New Delhi. Gandhi was shot three times in the chest and died soon after. 

4. Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. was an important figure in the American civil rights movement. He was famous for delivering the "I Have a Dream" speech and his struggle to end racial segregation and discrimination. On April 4, 1968, King was shot to death in Memphis, Tennessee. Prior to the incident, King had received several death threats. His murder sparked a wave of riots in various cities in the United States and deepened the commitment of many people to the struggle for civil rights.

5. Dedan Kimathi

Dedan Kimathi was a leader of the Mau Mau movement which opposed British colonial rule in Kenya in the 1950s. In 1953, he founded the Kenya Defense Council shortly after escaping a British prison. Kimathi was finally captured by the British colonial police officer, Ian Henderson, after a long period of resistance, and sentenced to death by Chief Judge O'Connor. On February 18, 1957, Kimathi was executed by hanging. To this day, he is remembered for his struggle to achieve freedom for the Kenyan people.

6. Yitzhak Rabin

Yitzhak Rabin was the Prime Minister of Israel who is known for his initiative to seek peace between Israel and Palestine. But before his plan could succeed, on November 4, 1995, Rabin was assassinated by Yigal Amir, a Jewish extremist who opposed Rabin's peace policies. Rabin's death was a major blow to the peace process in the Middle East and created long-lasting tensions in the region.

7. Benazir Bhutto

Benazir Bhutto was the former Prime Minister of Pakistan and the first woman to lead a Muslim country in modern history. She returned to Pakistan after years in exile to return to politics and fight for democracy. On December 27, 2007, Bhutto was killed in a suicide bomb attack in Rawalpindi while campaigning for the upcoming parliamentary elections. After her death, the leadership of the party fell to her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, and then to their son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

8. Patrice Lumumba

Patrice Lumumba was the first Prime Minister of Congo after independence from Belgium. He is known as a nationalist figure who fought against colonialism and for full Congolese independence. However, his short tenure ended tragically when he was kidnapped and murdered on January 17, 1961. Lumumba and his comrades were executed by a Katangan firing squad, under Belgian supervision.

9. Anwar Sadat

Anwar Sadat was an Egyptian army officer and politician who was president of Egypt in 1970. He is known for his role in initiating the Camp David peace accords with Israel, for which he received the Nobel Peace Prize. However, on the 6th of October, 1981, Sadat was assassinated by members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad during the Armed Forces Day military parade commemorating the Arab–Israeli war of October 1973.

10. Muammar Gaddafi

Muammar Gaddafi is also one of the world leaders who died tragically. He was a former Libyan leader who ruled the country for over four decades. After being overthrown, Muammar Gaddafi died tragically in 2011. When the Libyan revolution was raging, he evaded arrest for several weeks but was killed by rebel forces in October 2011.

RIZKI DEWI AYU | WORLD ATLAS | BRITANNICA

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