July Incident

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July Incident
15 July Incident.png
A loyal unit of the Defence Force stands guard in the capitol during the coup.
Date15-17 July, 1993
Location
Result

Coup failed

  • Pro-coup soldiers secure the capitol, briefly seizing control over parts of the Chandan government
  • Shootouts between the loyal elements (of police, armed forces, and national intelligence) and pro-coup soldiers
  • Golden Eagles banned
  • End to the Years of Lead
  • Beginning of crackdowns and purges
  • Constitutional reforms continue
Belligerents

Chanda Golden Eagles

Chanda Chandan government and loyal state institutions

The July Incident, often known as just the Incident, was an attempted coup d'état in Chanda on 15 July 1993. It was organized by elements of the Chandan armed forces controlled by the Golden Eagles of Chanda with the the goal of purging the government and military leadership of their factional rivals and ideological opponents in order to prevent the passage of constitutional reform.

Although the rebels succeeded in assassinating several leading officials (including a former president) and in occupying the most of the capital, they failed to assassinate President Akmal Sabir or secure control over the rest of the country. Furthermore the government had some forewarning that a coup was planned, which allowed for loyal security forces to respond almost immediately. Faced with lack of support from the rest of the Internal State, popular opposition from the public, and the majority of the military siding with the government, the rebels surrendered on the 17th.

Unlike other incidents involving the Internal State, the attempted coup had significant consequences for Chanda. The Golden Eagles were purged from the government and its members were imprisoned or executed for treason. A wider crackdown against violent organisations led to the end of the political violence of the Years of Lead and significant power struggles within the Internal State. Furthermore, the revelation that most hardliner members of the Chandan Socialist Birlik Front supported the coup or was at least aware that it was planned, led to severe political consequences. Many prominent members of the Front were arrested or expelled from the Front, which led to its collapse into various political parties. Despite the political turmoil, the proposed constitutional reform continued, which led to the Declaration of 1993.