1988 Maldives coup d'état

The 1988 Maldives coup d'\u00e9tat was an attempted military coup that occurred on November 3, 1988, aimed at overthrowing President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's government. The coup was orchestrated by a group of 60 mercenaries, primarily Tamil militants from Sri Lanka, who launched an assault on the Maldivian capital, Mal\u00e9, in a bid to seize control. Although the insurgents initially succeeded in breaching the presidential palace and causing significant chaos, their effort was thwarted within hours through the swift response of the Maldivian military and assistance from Indian forces, who intervened at the request of the Maldivian government. The coup attempt highlighted vulnerabilities within the Maldives' political landscape and led to increased security measures in the country.