In June 1989, with a group of middle rank military officers, al- Bashir, staged a coup against the elected coalition government of Sadiq al-Mahdi. He was supported by the National Islamic Front, led by Hassan al-Turabi, who later became his opponent.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir greets his supporters in Khartoum, capital of Sudan, April 26, 2010.

The most prominent accomplishment of al-Bashir was the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in January 2005 with SPLM late leader John Garang.

The CPA stipulated organization of general elections in Sudan and a referendum on the self-determination for south Sudan, to be held in January 2011.