The assassination of Anwar Sadat

October 6, 1981 — The assassination of Anwar Sadat

On October 6, 1981, the President of Egypt, Anwar Sadat, was attending a military parade in Cairo commemorating the anniversary of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War.

During the ceremony, a military truck suddenly stopped near the presidential stand. Several soldiers jumped out and began running toward the reviewing platform.

At first, Sadat believed they were part of the parade and stood up proudly to salute them.

But within seconds, the soldiers opened fire and threw grenades toward the platform.

The attack was carried out by members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad who had infiltrated the military unit participating in the parade.

Sadat was fatally wounded and died shortly afterward. Several other officials were also killed or injured.

The assassination shocked the world and marked a dramatic turning point in Egyptian politics. Sadat had become a controversial figure in the Arab world after signing the 1979 Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty, the first peace agreement between Israel and an Arab country.

Vice President Hosni Mubarak, who was also wounded during the attack, would soon become Egypt’s next president.