Ex-president of Sudan
Ahmed al-Mirghani, 67, the former president of Sudan, died Sunday at his home in Alexandria, Egypt. The cause of death was not immediately known, but a close family friend, Ali Ahmed al-Said, said al-Mirghani had respiratory problems.
Al-Mirghani was removed from power 19 years ago by the military coup that brought the current regime to power.
He headed the last democratically elected government in Sudan, between 1986 and 1989.
Born Aug. 16, 1941, in Khartoum, Sudan, he came from a prominent Sudanese family, leaders of a Sufi Muslim sect that traces its lineage back to the prophet Muhammad.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir recently reached out to al-Mirghani, getting him to join a group lobbying for a new push for peace in Darfur. The group is part of al-Bashir’s efforts to gather supporters and opponents around what he calls a “final” call for peace in Darfur.
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