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• Omar al-Bashir}}

  
  Omar al-Bashir became President of Sudan in 1993. In July 2008, the International Criminal Court filed genocide charges against Al-Bashir in relation to the genocide in Darfur. Al-Bashir was charged with seven counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes and on March 4, 2009, the ICJ issued a warrant for Al-Bashir's arrest.CNN: International Court issues arrest warrant for Sudanese president (March 4, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Born: January 1, 1944 in Sudan
  2. Current President of Sudan
  3. Political party: National Congress Party (NyP)
  4. Assumed office: June 30, 1989
  5. Religious affiliation: Islam
  6. Seized power in a military coup
  7. Holds the rank of Field Marshal, the highest rank for infantry
  8. Received military training in Egypt
  9. Fought for Egypt in the 1973 Yom Kippur War against Israel
  10. Charged with genocide for for the deaths of 2.5 million people in Darfur by the International Criminal Court in July 2008
  11. Believed to control the Janjaweed militia, which is responsible for murders and rape of civilians in DarfurPBS News: Sudan's Janjaweed Militia (April 7, 2006)

• Early History

  Al-Bashir joined the Sudanese Army at an early age and trained in Egypt. Eventually, he served with the Egyptian army during the 1973 Yom Kippur War against Israel. When he returned to Sudan, he led a military campaign that suppressed political and social dissidents.

• Rise to Power

  In 1989 he led a coup that successfully seized control of the government. In 1993 he was appointed president and assumed full control over the country's legislative and executive functions. He was officially elected in 1996 and in 1998 enacted a new constitution ensuring his control over the government. Though some opposition was allowed to form after 1999, the growth of these groups was limited and they failed to have a significant influence.

• Omar al-Beshir Timeline

  • 1944: Born in Hosh Bannaga, Sudan
  • 1973: Served with Egyptian Army when at war with Israel
  • 1960: Joined the Sudanese armed forces in 1960
  • 1966: Graduated from the Sudan Military Academy in Khartoum
  • 1975-79: Military attache in the United Arab Emirates
  • 1989-1993: Sudanese minister of defense
  • 2003: Rebel group in Darfur attacks government targets, saying the region neglected by Khartoum. The government retaliates

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Darfur | China-Sudan Relations | Sudan | Chad War | SPLA | Janjaweed | International Criminal Court | Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day

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