EN
The 14th Ramaan 1382 (8th February 1963) coup that finally put an end to the regime of Abdalkarim Qasim came from the Arab nationalist quarter; no other element in the political spectrum was prepared to undertake the task. The Communists and the left still tacitly supported Abdalkarim Qasim, and in any event they had too little support in the army officer corps. The Kurds had weakened the fighting capacity of the army, but they were in no position to overthrow the regime by themselves. However, there was no real unity of purpose among Arab nationalists beyond their common desire to be rid of the 'Sole Leader' (az-Zaim al-Awad) and to reorient foreign policy toward some kind of union with other Arab countries. This action was no palace coup. The Bathists and their nationalist allies only succeeded in gaining control of the government after a day of fierce fighting with the defenders of the regime, which cost hundreds of lives. At last the rebel forces broke through into the Ministry of Defence compound, capturing Abdalkarum Qasim and his colleagues on 9 February. They were immediately brought before a tribunal of Bathist and pan-Arab officers, sentenced to death and summarily shot.