The Dhofar War took place from 1963 to 1976 in the province of Dhofar against the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman. The war began with the formation of the Dhofar Liberation Front, a Marxist group which aimed to create an independent state in Dhofar, free from the rule of the Omani Sultan Said bin Taimur. The rebels also held the broader goals of Arab nationalism which included ending British influence in the Persian Gulf region. Omani and British goals, on the other hand, were to safeguard Oman from communism and halt the spread of communist ideology as part of the broader Cold War.
A soldier of the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces brewing tea in 1970
A "hedgehog" defensive sangar, made from oil drums filled with sand, protecting Salalah airfield
British soldiers from the Special Air Service giving medical treatment to the villagers of the remote Yanqul Plain as part of their "hearts and minds" campaign.
Caption on British poster: "The Hand of God Destroys Communism"
The Dhofar Governorate is the largest of the 11 governorates in the Sultanate of Oman in terms of area. It lies in southern Oman, on the eastern border with Yemen's Al Mahrah Governorate and the southern border with Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. It is a rather mountainous area that covers 99,300 km2 (38,300 sq mi) and had a population of 416,458 at the 2020 census. Salalah is the largest city and capital of the governorate. Historically, the region was a source of frankincense. The local dialect of Arabic is Dhofari Arabic, which is distinct from that used in the rest of Oman and in Yemen.
Coconut trees in the coastal area of Salalah
A tall frankincense tree (Boswellia sacra) stands out among the scenery
Sugar cane grown using the Rizat irrigation system in Dhofar Governorate, dated 1948
The natural spring of Ayn Jarziz was noted to facilitate the flow of approximately 40,000 gallons of water per hour in 1943.