Bashir, Omar Hassan Ahmad al-

1944 - Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir was born 1st of January in the small village of Hosh Bannaga.

Al-Bashir joined the Sudanese Army at a young age and studied at a military academy in Cairo.

He quickly rose through the ranks and became a paratrooper.

1973 - Omar al-Bashir served with the Egyptian Army when it went to war with Israel.

1989 - Al-Bashir took charge of a military coup that overthrew democratically elected Prime Minister Sadeq al-Mahdi.

          - Al-Bashir became the Prime Minister of Sudan.

1991 - Al-Bashir imposed Sharia and a harsh new Criminal Act over northern Sudan.

1993 - Appointed president of the country of Sudan.

2002 - Offered a peace talks between the northern and southern leaders of the country.

2004 - Al-Bashir finally agreed to grant autonomy to the south.

2005 - Parade magazine's David Wallechinsky ranked al-Bashir #1 in its list of the world's ten worst dictators.

2006 - Attended the UN General Assembly in New York.