The APRA coup d'état was a coup d'état by Raymond Westerling's Legion of Ratu Adil (APRA) to capture Bandung and Jakarta, and to overthrow Sukarno’s unitary Republic of Indonesia. Westerling was a demobilised Dutch Captain of the KNIL (Royal Netherlands East Indies Army), who sought to preserve the federal Republic of the United States of Indonesia, which retained the support of the Netherlands and various minority elements. Westerling's forces succeeded in capturing Bandung in the early hours of 23 January 1950. Simultaneously, the APRA infiltrated Jakarta as part of a coup d’état to overthrow the RUSI Cabinet. Their plan was to arrest and assassinate several prominent Republican figures including the Defence Minister Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX and Secretary-General Ali Budiardjo. However, Westerling's forces in Jakarta were killed or captured by the Indonesian army and police forces. The APRA was forced out of Bandung, while Westerling escaped to Singapore. After a mopping up campaign the Legion of Ratu Adil had ceased to function in February 1950. The coup d'état led to the downfall of Sultan Hamid II and accelerated the integration of the RUSI into the Republic by 17 August 1950. Rise of the APRA Prior to the transfer of sovereignty on 27 December 1949, a RUSI Cabinet consisting of both Republican and Federalist members was formed on 17 December 1949. This Cabinet was headed by Prime Minister Mohammad Hatta and included 11 Republicans and five Federalists including the pro-Dutch Sultan Hamid II. Ultimately, this federal government was short-lived due to conflicting differences between the Republicans and the Federalists as well as growing popular support for a unitary state. Growing tensions between the Republicans and Federalists prompted Hamid II to conspire with the former commander of the DST (Depot Special Forces) commando unit Raymond Westerling to organize an anti-Republican coup d’état which would ensure a federal Republic of the United States of Indonesia. By January 1950, Westerling had built up a militia force known as Angkatan Perang Ratu Adil (APRA, Legion of Ratu Adil). Raymond Westerling stated that the APRA counted 22,000 men. American historian George Kahin estimates it was about 2,000 men. The APRA comprised various Republican elements including defectors from the Indonesian army, Islamic and communist battle groups. The Legion was further augmented by elements of the KNIL, Royal Netherlands Army, Westerling's old commando unit and several sympathetic Dutch nationals including two police inspectors. The Republican government attempted to negotiate