Editing History of Oman (section)

==Late 20th century==
{{main|Jebel Akhdar War|Dhofar Rebellion}}
In 1954, the [[Jebel Akhdar War|conflict]] flared up again, when the Treaty of Seeb was broken by the sultan after oil was discovered in the lands of the Imam. The new imam ([[Ghalib bin Ali]]) led a 5-year [[Jebel Akhdar War|rebellion]] against the sultan's attack. The Sultan was aided by the colonial British forces and the Shah of Iran. In the early 1960s, the Imam, exiled to [[Saudi Arabia]], obtained support from his hosts and other [[Arab]] governments, but this support ended in the 1980s. The case of the Imam was argued at the United Nations as well, but no significant measures were taken.

Zanzibar paid an annual subsidy to Muscat and Oman until its independence in early 1964.

In 1964, a separatist [[Dhofar Rebellion|revolt]] began in [[Dhofar]] province. Aided by [[Communist]] and [[Left-wing politics|leftist governments]] such as the former [[South Yemen]] ([[People's Democratic Republic of Yemen]]), the rebels formed the [[Dhofar Liberation Front]], which later merged with the [[Marxist]]-dominated [[Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman and the Arabian Gulf]] (PFLOAG). The PFLOAG's declared intention was to overthrow all traditional [[Persian Gulf]] régimes. In mid-1974, the Bahrain branch of the PFLOAG was established as a separate organisation and the Omani branch changed its name to the [[Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman]] (PFLO), while continuing the [[Dhofar Rebellion]].

===1970s===
In the [[1970 Omani coup d'état]], [[Qaboos bin Said al Said]] ousted his father, [[Said bin Taimur|Sa'id bin Taimur]], who later died in exile in [[London]]. Al Said ruled as sultan until his death. The new sultan confronted insurgency in a country plagued by [[endemic disease]], illiteracy, and poverty. One of the new sultan's first measures was to abolish many of his father's harsh restrictions, which had caused thousands of Omanis to leave the country, and to offer amnesty to opponents of the previous régime, many of whom returned to Oman. 1970 also brought the abolition of [[History of slavery in the Muslim world|slavery]].<ref name=patterson>{{cite web | url = http://resources.css.edu/academics/his/middleground/articles/mollypattersonoman.pdf | title = The Forgotten Generation of Muscat: Reconstructing Omani National Identity After the Zanzibar Revolution of 1964 | publisher = Midwest World History Association (MWWHA), The College of St. Scholastica | work = The Middle Ground Journal | issue = 7 | page = 10 | location = Duluth, MN | date = Fall 2013 | access-date = 17 July 2017 | author = Molly Patterson | archive-date = 17 April 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180417063622/http://resources.css.edu/academics/his/middleground/articles/mollypattersonoman.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name=plackett/>

Sultan Qaboos also established a modern governmental structure and launched a major development programme to upgrade educational and health facilities, build modern infrastructure and develop the country's natural resources.

In an effort to curb the Dhofar insurgency, Sultan Qaboos expanded and re-equipped the armed forces and granted amnesty to all surrendering rebels while vigorously prosecuting the war in Dhofar. He obtained direct military support from the UK, [[Imperial State of Iran|imperial Iran]], and Jordan. By early 1975, the [[guerrilla warfare|guerrilla]]s were confined to a {{convert|50|km2|sqmi|adj=on|}} area near the Yemeni border and shortly thereafter were defeated. As the war drew to a close, civil action programs were given priority throughout Dhofar and helped win the allegiance of the people. The PFLO threat diminished further with the establishment of diplomatic relations in October 1983 between South Yemen and Oman, and South Yemen subsequently lessened propaganda and subversive activities against Oman. In late 1987 Oman opened an embassy in [[Aden]], South Yemen, and appointed its first resident ambassador to the country.

Throughout his reign, Sultan Qaboos balanced tribal, regional, and ethnic interests in composing the national administration. The Council of Ministers, which functions as a [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]], consisted of 26 [[Minister (government)|ministers]], all of whom were directly appointed by Qaboos. The ''[[Consultative Assembly (Oman)|Majlis Al-Shura]]'' (Consultative Assembly) has the mandate of reviewing legislation pertaining to [[economic development]] and social services prior to its becoming law. The ''Majlis Al-Shura'' may request ministers to appear before it.

===1990s===
In November 1996, Sultan Qaboos presented his people with the [[Basic Statute of Oman]], Oman's first written [[constitution]]. It guarantees various rights within the framework of [[Qur'an]]ic and customary law. It partially resuscitated long dormant conflict-of-interest measures by banning cabinet ministers from being officers of public shareholding firms. Perhaps most importantly, the Basic Statutes provide rules for setting Sultan Qaboos' succession.

Oman occupies a strategic location on the [[Strait of Hormuz]] at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, {{convert|35|mi|km}} directly opposite Iran. Oman has concerns with regional stability and security, given tensions in the region, the proximity of Iran and [[Iraq]], and the potential threat of political Islam. Oman maintained its diplomatic relations with Iraq throughout the [[Gulf War]] while supporting the [[United Nations]] [[Coalition of the Gulf War|allies]] by sending a contingent of troops to join coalition forces and by opening up to pre-positioning of weapons and supplies.