Sonthi Boonyaratglin, Chairman of the Democratic Reform Council in Thailand: On 19 September 2006, General Sonthi and others launched a military coup and overthrew the elected but divisive prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. The Bangkok Post reported the coup makers called themselves the Democratic Reform Council. Sonthi has been described as chairman of the administrative reform council that has temporarily taken control of the government. He declared that the council would hand over power in two weeks. He also received a mandate from much revered King of Thailand.
Pervez Musharraf, Chief of Army Staff and President of Pakistan: Musharraf became de facto head of government following a bloodless coup d’état on 12 October 1999. PM Nawaz Sharif attempted to dismiss Musharraf that day. Senior army generals refused to accept Musharraf’s dismissal and in a coup ousted Sharif’s administration. Musharraf subsequently assumed control. He later held a questionable election and now holds the title president.
Yahya Jammeh, President of the Gambia: As chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council, he took control of the country in a military coup in July 1994. Elected president two years later in widely criticised elections, he founded his own political party and was re-elected in 2001 with about 53 per cent of the vote in free and fair poll.
Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, President of Sudan: General Al-Bashir took charge of a military coup in 1989 that overthrew elected PM Sadeq al-Mahdi. Al-Bashir banned all political parties and dissolved Parliament. He became chairman of the newly-established Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation and assumed the posts of chief of state, prime minister, chief of the armed forces, and minister of defense.
{{/usCountry}}Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, President of Sudan: General Al-Bashir took charge of a military coup in 1989 that overthrew elected PM Sadeq al-Mahdi. Al-Bashir banned all political parties and dissolved Parliament. He became chairman of the newly-established Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation and assumed the posts of chief of state, prime minister, chief of the armed forces, and minister of defense.
{{/usCountry}}Blaise Compaoré, President of Burkina Faso: Compaoré played a major role in the coups d’état led by Sankara against Burkina Faso’s civilian rulers. He became president of his country in 1987 in a bloody countercoup that killed Sankara. Compaoré described the killing of Sankara as an ‘accident’, a claim widely disputed. Upon taking the presidency, he reversed many of the policies of Sankara.
Muammar al-Gaddafi, leader of Libya: Inspired by Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, Gaddafi and a few of his fellow officers staged a coup d'état against pro-Western King Idris I in September 1969. Eventually a new Libyan Arab Republic was declared. Gaddafi is referred to as the Brother Leader and Guide of the Revolution.