Abdel Rahman Suwar al-Dahab (otherwise known as Suwar al-Dahab or al-Dahab; 1934 – 18 October 2018) ( ar, عبد الرحمن سوار الذهب) was the
President of Sudan
This article lists the heads of state of Sudan since the country's independence in 1956.
History of the office
Since independence was proclaimed on 1 January 1956, six individuals (and three multi-member sovereignty councils) have served as ...
from 6 April 1985, to 6 May 1986.
His full name has also been listed by the Sudanese Ministry of Defence as Abdul Rahman Muhammad Hassan Swar Al Thahab.
Biography
Swar-Eldahab was born in 1934 in Omdurman, Sudan.
He graduated from the Sudanese Military Academy, later attending military education courses in Britain, the United States, Egypt, and Jordan. He became a prominent figure when then-President
Gaafar Nimeiry
Jaafar Muhammad an-Nimeiry (otherwise spelled in English as Jaafar Nimeiry, Gaafar Nimeiry or Ja'far Muhammad Numayri; ar, جعفر محمد النميري; 26 April 192830 May 2009) was a Sudanese politician who served as the president of Sud ...
appointed him Chief of Staff, and then
Minister of Defence
A defence minister or minister of defence is a Cabinet (government), cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from coun ...
and general commander of the
armed forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
in 1984.
In 1985, he launched a
coup ousting President
Gaafar Nimeiry
Jaafar Muhammad an-Nimeiry (otherwise spelled in English as Jaafar Nimeiry, Gaafar Nimeiry or Ja'far Muhammad Numayri; ar, جعفر محمد النميري; 26 April 192830 May 2009) was a Sudanese politician who served as the president of Sud ...
leading to him becoming the
Chairman
The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...
of the
Transitional Military Council. Following elections, he surrendered power to the government of head of state
Ahmed al-Mirghani
Ahmad Ali Al-Mirghani ( ar, أحمد الميرغني; 16 August 1942 – 2 November 2008) was the 6th President of Sudan from May 6, 1986, to June 30, 1989, when the democratically elected government was overthrown by a military coup led by ...
and prime minister
Sadiq al-Mahdi
Sadiq al-Mahdi ( ar, الصادق المهدي, aṣ-Ṣādiq al-Mahdī; 25 December 193526 November 2020), also known as Sadiq as-Siddiq, was a Sudanese political and religious figure who was Prime Minister of Sudan from 1966 to 1967 and again f ...
in 1986.
In 1987, he became Chairman of the Islamic Call Organization.
In 2004, he received the
King Faisal International Prize
The King Faisal Prize ( ar, جائزة الملك فيصل, formerly King Faisal International Prize), is an annual award sponsored by King Faisal Foundation presented to "dedicated men and women whose contributions make a positive difference". T ...
for his service to Islam. He died on 18 October 2018 in
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
,
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
of natural causes.
References
1934 births
2018 deaths
People from Omdurman
Presidents of Sudan
Government ministers of Sudan
Sudanese military personnel
Leaders who took power by coup
Field marshals
{{Sudan-politician-stub