On the July 30, 1968 Saddam carries out a plot to oust the rival Faction, the Arab Nationalist officers in the coup among others, minister of defense Ibrahim Dawood is sent to Jordan and Prime Minister Abd al-Razzah Nayif is "sent" to Morocco.
In the fall of 1968 beginning of purges to remove all non-Ba'thists from posts within state institutions. Saddam engages in purifying the government and society of potential dissidents. The higher echelons of the military and the government deemed disloyal are sent into retirement, imprisoned, tortured, or executed. Members of non-Ba'th political parties and non-Arabs are accused of crimes and executed or deported. It was like a small version of the Holocaust. .
November 1969 President al-Bakr, Saddam's kinsman, appoints Saddam Deputy Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council, RCC, and Vice-President. He controls the internal security and intelligence organs and is the driving force behind the regime. .
November 1968 Nasir al-Hani, former Foreign Minister and co-plotter of the 17 July 1968 coup is abducted from his home under the pretext that President Bakr wanted to consult with him. .
A few days later his body is discovered dumped in a ditch. January 1969 17 alleged "spies" (including 13 Jews) are hanged in Liberation Square. August 8, 1969 Kurdish village of Dakan in Mosul governorate is site of a massacre performed by the army. October 1969 Abd al-Rahman al-Bazzaz, former prime minister is imprisoned on charges of being a Zionist agent, he was tortured and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. March 1970 hundreds of Communists are arrested and tortured. October 15, 1970 Hardan al-Tikriti, Minister of defense, Deputy Premier, and former member of the RCC, is dismissed from all his functions then assassinated in Kuwait on March 30, 1971. March 11, 1970 an "autonomy agreement" is concluded between the Kurds, under Mulla Mustafa Barzani, and the central government, but was never implemented, several other people are killed in the attempt.
