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Major Hashem al-Atta ( ar, هاشم العطا; ) was a
Atta achieved prominence in July 1971, leading a leftist coup in Khartoum on 19 July against Nimeiry's government. The coup was initially successful and Atta became the new Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Vice President, and Minister of Defense in the new Revolutionary Command Council. The new government was however beset by infighting.
On 23 July Nimeiry loyalists freed Nimeiry and returned him to power. Atta was summarily court-martialled and sentenced to death alongside the coup's other leaders, and was executed later the same day by firing squad.
Sudan
Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
ese political and military figure. Whilst he initially served in the National Revolutionary Command Council under Nimeiry, he is best known for his involvement in the 1971 coup d'état attempt, in which he, and other pro-communist members of the Sudanese Armed Forces
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF; ar, القوات المسلحة السودانية, Al-Quwwat al-Musallaha as-Sudaniyah) are the military forces of the Republic of the Sudan. In 2011, IISS estimated the regular forces' numbers at personnel, whil ...
attempted to overthrow Nimeiry and seize power. Initially successful, after several days the Revolutionary Government collapsed when Nimeiry was freed by loyalist military units. Following the failed coup attempt Atta and the other ringleaders were executed.
Early life and education
Atta was born on 12 March 1936 inOmdurman
Omdurman (standard ar, أم درمان ''Umm Durmān'') is a city in Sudan. It is the most populated city in the country, and thus also in the State of Khartoum. Omdurman lies on the west bank of the River Nile, opposite and northwest of the ...
in what was then Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan ( ar, السودان الإنجليزي المصري ') was a condominium of the United Kingdom and Egypt in the Sudans region of northern Africa between 1899 and 1956, corresponding mostly to the territory of present-day ...
. He went on to graduate from high school in 1957, and immediately joined the Sudanese Air Force
The Sudanese Air Force ( ar, القوّات الجوّيّة السودانيّة, Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya As-Sudaniya) is the air force operated by the Republic of the Sudan. As such it is part of the Sudanese Armed Forces.
History
The Sudanese A ...
, graduating from the Air Force Academy as a Second Lieutenant in 1959.
Military career
He then proceeded to study in theUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
from 1962 to 1963, in West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
from 1963 to 1964, and in the United Arab Republic
The United Arab Republic (UAR; ar, الجمهورية العربية المتحدة, al-Jumhūrīyah al-'Arabīyah al-Muttaḥidah) was a sovereign state in the Middle East from 1958 until 1971. It was initially a political union between Eg ...
and United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
in 1965.
Atta then went on to serve in the Sudanese Action Central Command from 1959 to 1963, before serving as a teacher at the Sudanese Infantry School from 1963 to 1965. Following this he served with the Sudanese Army's Southern Command from 1966 to 1968, before going on to serve as a Military Attache from 1968 to 1969 at the Sudanese Embassy in Bonn
The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of over 300,000. About south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ruhr r ...
, then the capital of West Germany.
Following the 1969 coup d'état which brought Nimeiry to power Atta became a member of the ruling National Revolutionary Command Council. Atta served in several posts, including as Assistant Prime Minister (with a portfolio focusing on agriculture) before being arrested and removed from all posts on 16 November 1970.
Coup attempt
Atta achieved prominence in July 1971, leading a leftist coup in Khartoum on 19 July against Nimeiry's government. The coup was initially successful and Atta became the new Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Vice President, and Minister of Defense in the new Revolutionary Command Council. The new government was however beset by infighting.
On 23 July Nimeiry loyalists freed Nimeiry and returned him to power. Atta was summarily court-martialled and sentenced to death alongside the coup's other leaders, and was executed later the same day by firing squad.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Atta, Hashem al- 1936 births 1971 deaths Executed communists People from Omdurman Sudanese communists Sudanese military personnel People executed by Sudan by firing squad Sudanese Communist Party politicians