Afghanistan, 1973 — military coup attempt
Event Summary
The dataset records an event coded as an attempted military coup in Afghanistan on 20 September 1973, corresponding to the alleged coup plot for which the former prime minister Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal was arrested, barely two months after Mohammad Daoud Khan had overthrown the monarchy and proclaimed the Republic of Afghanistan in July 1973. Maiwandwal, a respected former premier and diplomat, was accused of conspiring against the new republican regime, though it remains unclear whether any plot genuinely targeted Daoud or whether leftist Parcham officers who controlled the Interior Ministry framed him. Arrested in the autumn of 1973 with a number of other nationalists and army officers, Maiwandwal died in prison in early October before his scheduled trial.
The official account called it suicide, but the widespread and evidence backed belief is that he was tortured to death. Daoud survived and consolidated his autocratic one-party rule, only to be overthrown and killed himself in the communist Saur Revolution of April 1978.
Researched Details
Researched
Independent research, added record by record. Hover any label for what it means.
Sources
Editorial Note
Cross-Reference
Only one dataset carries it. One of the three reference datasets we check against carries this event; the others do not list it. That is not a contradiction — the datasets cover different periods and use different thresholds — but it means the record has had less outside corroboration.
Identifiers for finding this same event in the other datasets:
- Cline Center id
70009201973
How the match is made is described in crossref-report.md.
Outcome and Target
Coup Atlas research identifies the target as: President Mohammad Daoud Khan crushed the alleged Maiwandwal plot and consolidated his republic.
Baseline coding: Coup attempt failed to remove the incumbent. Recorded leader fate: remained in office; not physically harmed. The baseline file does not name individual targets; researched names are kept in a separate layer.
Baseline Dataset Citation
Baseline Source-Document Entries
CSP
Wikipedia
Washington Post
Times of India
This is the citation trail carried by the baseline dataset, grouped by outlet and rejoined from the line-wrapped original. Coup Atlas has not independently re-checked every document; read the original before citing a specific claim. URLs the import damaged beyond safe repair are shown as plain text and listed in citations-report.md. How this list is built →