The 1971 Moroccan coup attempt, also known as the Skhirat coup d'état (Arabic: محاولة انقلاب الصخيرات) was a failed attempt by rebel military leaders to overthrow King Hassan II of Morocco on 10 July 1971, on his forty-second birthday. It was the first of two attempted coups during Hassan's rule. It was organized by a rebel faction of the Royal Armed Forces led by Lieutenant-Colonel M'hamed Ababou and General Mohamed Medbouh.