Omar al-Bashir

Omar Hassan Ahmad al-[Bashir](/wiki/Bashir_(disambiguation) was born on 1 January 1944. He was a leader in Sudan from 1989 until 2019.

Al-Bashir took control of Sudan in 1989 by leading a military group that removed the elected government. He was elected president three times, but some people thought the elections might not have been fair.

During his time as leader, Sudan saw both good and bad changes. In 2005, a long war in southern Sudan ended, and a new country called South Sudan was created. However, in the Darfur region, there was a serious conflict that caused many people to leave their homes.

Al-Bashir faced accusations from the International Criminal Court about events in Darfur. He was not said to have done harmful acts himself, but some leaders thought he was responsible for planning them. Many countries disagreed with these accusations.

In 2019, after many people protested and asked for him to leave, al-Bashir was removed from power in another military coup. He was later found guilty of corruption and spent time in prison. His time as leader is an important part of Sudan's recent history.

Early and family life

Omar al-Bashir was born on 1 January 1944 in Hosh Bannaga, a village near Shendi in Sudan. He grew up in a family from the Ja'alin tribe. His mother passed away in 2019, and his father was a farmer. Omar was one of twelve siblings. As a boy, he loved football and later joined the army.

He went to school at the Sudanese Military College and later moved to Khartoum North. He married his cousin Fatima Khalid and also had a second wife named Widad Babiker Omer. Omar did not have any children of his own.

Presidency

Coup d'état

Main article: 1989 Sudanese coup d'état

Al-Bashir led army officers to take control from the government in 1989. The new government stopped political parties and used Islamic law. He became the country's leader and the head of the armed forces.

In 1993, al-Bashir made himself president and took full control. He was later elected president in 1996 as the only candidate.

Elections

Al-Bashir was elected president in 1996, 2000, and 2010. A peace agreement ended a long war from 2005 to 2010. But the 2010 election had problems with fairness.

Tensions with Hassan al-Turabi

In the mid-1990s, al-Bashir and al-Turabi had disagreements. This led to tensions and al-Turabi being imprisoned several times.

Engagement with the U.S. and European countries

From the early 1990s, Sudan was accused of supporting groups the United States called terrorists. Sudan later tried to improve relations with the U.S. But the U.S. still placed sanctions on Sudan and carried out missile strikes in 1998.

South Sudan

When al-Bashir took power, a long war was already happening in southern Sudan. A peace agreement in 2005 led to Southern Sudan becoming a separate country in 2011.

War in Darfur

In 2003, conflicts began in the Darfur region. This led to a long and painful conflict. The government was accused of harming people in the region, and calls for peace and help followed.

Indictment by the ICC

In 2008, the International Criminal Court accused al-Bashir of serious crimes in Darfur. Al-Bashir denied the charges and said they were political.

Military intervention in Yemen

In 2015, Sudan joined a group led by Saudi Arabia in a conflict in Yemen. This was seen as a way for al-Bashir to gain support.

Allegations of corruption

Al-Bashir faced claims that he had taken large amounts of money from Sudan. He and his supporters denied these claims.

African space agency

In 2012, al-Bashir suggested creating a space agency for Africa to help the continent advance in technology.

Ousting from power

In 2019, after many months of protests, al-Bashir was removed from power by the Sudanese military and placed under house arrest. This ended his time as leader of Sudan.

Post-presidency

Omar al-Bashir was moved to a prison in Khartoum in April 2019. He faced trials for corruption and handling money wrongly. In December 2019, he was found guilty and given a two-year prison sentence.

Later, in July 2020, a trial began about the coup that put him in power many years earlier.

International Criminal Court

In November 2019, there were discussions about sending al-Bashir to a special court in The Hague to answer for actions during his time in power. In October 2020, officials in Sudan agreed to set up a special court to look into these actions.

Detention

In April 2023, because of fighting in Sudan, al-Bashir and some other former leaders were moved from prison to a hospital for safety. He was later moved again to another location. Reports say he has health problems related to his heart.