1970.09.06. - 1971.07.23 - Black September, or the Jordanian Civil War

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. "Black September." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Accessed August 21, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_September.

Jordan - From 1967 to civil war. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica; Verity Elizabeth Irvine. Retrieved August 21, 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Jordan/From-1967-to-civil-war

Gill, N.S. "Black September: The Jordanian-PLO Civil War of 1970." ThoughtCo. Accessed August 21, 2025. https://www.thoughtco.com/black-september-jordanian-plo-civil-war-2353168.

Central Intelligence Agency. "Fifty Years after 'Black September' in Jordan." CIA Library. Accessed August 21, 2025. https://www.cia.gov/resources/csi/static/Black-September-Jordan.pdf.

Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. "Jordan's Black September, 1970." ADST.org. July 2015. https://adst.org/2015/07/jordans-black-september-1970/.

Michalak, Stanislav. "The PLO and the Civil War in Jordan (1970)." Asian Journal of Political Science. 2011. https://www.sav.sk/journals/uploads/091911456_Michalak.pdf.

Belligerents

PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization)
Notable Leaders:

• Yasser Arafat (PLO chairman and Fatah leader)
• George Habash (PFLP founder)
• Nayef Hawatmeh (DFLP leader)

Strength: 15,000–40,000

Syria (until November 1970)

• Notable Leaders: Salah Jadid

Strength: 10,000 troops, 300 tanks

Jordan
Notable Leaders:

• King Hussein
• Wasfi Tal
• Habis Majali

Strength: 65,000–74,000 troops, 300 tanks, 300 APCs

Casualties and Losses

PLO

• Deaths: 3,400 (Jordanian estimates ~3,400 militants; Arafat claims up to 25,000, including civilians)
• Wounded: exact figures unclear
• Imprisoned: 2,300 surrendered in July 1971, Ajlun offensive

Syria

• Deaths: 537 killed
• Wounded: Included in above.
• Imprisoned: 200
• Material: 120 armored vehicles destroyed.

Jordan

• Deaths: 537 killed
• Wounded: 1,500
• Imprisoned: None
• Material: Minimal losses; some tanks damaged but overall intact.

Location

Amman, Zarqa (hijacked planes site), Irbid, Ajlun, and Jerash

Causes

Background

Jordan's demographics were skewed: By 1970, ~2/3 of the population was Palestinian, many refugees from 1948 (Nakba) and 1967 wars, strengthening PLO support. Egyptian President Nasser's pan-Arabism bolstered Palestinians politically. Fedayeen (militants) enclaves evolved into "independent republics" in camps, with checkpoints and taxation, eroding Jordanian authority. Leftist PLO factions (PFLP, DFLP) viewed Hussein as a Western puppet, calling for revolution. Hussein's edict to restrict fedayeen (militants) failed, backed by Nasser but ignored. International factors: Israel promised not to advance if Jordan redeployed border troops; Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait funded fedayeen (militants); 17,000 Iraqi troops in Jordan post-1967 raised intervention fears.

The Tipping Point:

On June 7, 1970, fedayeen (militants) fired on Hussein's motorcade en route to Mukhabarat HQ. Ceasefire attempts failed as PFLP held 68 hostages in Amman hotels, demanding dismissals of Jordanian commanders. By August, Arafat eyed a Jordanian revolution.

Events

The war erupted in phases, blending urban guerrilla warfare with conventional battles.

• September 6-16, 1970: Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine hijacks 5 planes (4 successful, 1 foiled). After 371 hostages were removed, three planes landed in Jordan's desert (Dawson's Field), and then they were exploded in front of international press. Hussein declares martial law on September 16 and forms a military government.

• September 18: Jordanian forces shell fedayeen (militants) in Amman, Zarqa, refugee camps; heavy civilian toll. Syria invades with 10,000 troops/300 tanks (PLA markings) toward Irbid to aid the PLO.

• September 19-22: Syrian advance stalls; Jordan appeals for help. US positions Sixth Fleet near coast; Israel mobilizes, flies fighter jets, and uses sonic booms over Syrian troops to deter them.

• September 27: Arafat-Hussein ceasefire in Cairo, brokered by Nasser (who dies the next day). The October Amman agreement regulates fedayeen (militants), but violations continue.

• October 1970-July 1971: Jordan pushes fedayeen (militants) from cities (January Irbid clearance); final Ajlun offensive (July) crushes remnants, with 2,000 surrendering. Fedayeen (militants) relocate to Lebanon via Syria.
  Iranian leftists (e.g., OIPFG, MEK) sided with the PLO, bombing Jordan's Tehran embassy during Hussein's visit in revenge.

Outcome

Jordan expelled the PLO, allowing relocation to Lebanon (via Syria), where they ignited the 1975 Lebanese Civil War. PLO formed the Black September Organization for revenge: Assassinated Jordanian PM Wasfi Tal (1971) for his anti-fedayeen (militants) role. Munich Olympics attack (1972)

PLO | Yasser Arafat | 6 Day War | Lebanese Civil War | Munich Massacre