1989 Sudanese coup d'état
1989 Sudanese coup d'état | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the Second Sudanese Civil War | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Sudanese Armed Forces National Islamic Front Supported by: Libya[1] | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Ahmed al-Mirghani President of Sudan Sadiq al-Mahdi Prime Minister of Sudan |
Col. Omar al-Bashir Coup Leader Hassan al-Turabi NIF Leader | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
10,000-15,000 | ~100 officers | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
A coup d'état was carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces on 30 June 1989 against the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi and President Ahmed al-Mirghani. The coup was led by military officer Omar al-Bashir who took power in its aftermath; he ruled the country for the next 30 years until he was overthrown in 2019.
History
Background
In 1983, a
Mahdi's inability to put an end to the conflict in the months that followed, along with a crippled Sudanese economy, led to growing tension between him and the army officials.[2] His decision on 18 June to arrest a group of 14 military officials and 50 civilians, all of whom were accused of being engaged in a plan to overthrow the government and restore former President Gaafar Nimeiry to power, may have further motivated the coup, though Nimeiry himself denied having any involvement in the plot.[2]
Coup
On 30 June 1989, military officers under the command of then Brigadier Omar Hassan al-Bashir, with instigation and support from the National Islamic Front (NIF),[3] replaced the Sadiq al-Mahdi government with the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation (RCC), claiming to be saving the country from the "rotten political parties."[4] That same day, Al-Bashir was declared head of state, Prime Minister, Defense Minister and Commander in Chief of the armed forces.[2] The new military junta would consist of 15 military officers (reduced to 12 in 1991) and it was assisted by a civilian cabinet.
Aftermath
The coup put an end to the newly facilitated democratic system of government in Sudan, which was established in 1985,
Al-Bashir has been held responsible for the Darfur Genocide by the International Criminal Court, which has sought his extradition since 2008 on charges of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.[10]
Al-Bashir's regime was removed from power in another military coup on 11 April 2019.[11]
See also
References
- ^ M. W. Daly, Darfur's Sorrow: The Forgotten History of a Humanitarian Disaster, p. 258, 2007
- ^ a b c d e "Military Coup in Sudan Ousts Civilian Regime". The New York Times. 1 July 1989. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
- .
- ^ "Profile: Sudan's President Bashir". BBC News. 25 November 2003. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
- ^ Associated Press (3 November 2008). "Former Sudan president dies in Egypt". Associated Press. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ "Sudan's dictator, Omar al-Bashir, is forced out of power". The Economist. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ Adam, Ahmed H (14 August 2018). "What next for Sudan after Bashir's nomination for a third term?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
- ^ "Refworld | Human Rights Watch World Report 1994 - Sudan".
- ^ Human Rights Watch (August 1998). "Global Trade, Local Impact: Arms Transfers to all Sides in the Civil War in Sudan. ||. The Civil War". World Report 1998: Sudan. 10 (4 (A)).
- ^ "Sudan - Conflict in Darfur". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ Patel-Carstairs, Sunita (12 April 2019). "Sudan's 'tyrant' president Omar al Bashir toppled in military coup". Sky News. Retrieved 14 April 2019.