10 Facts About Abdallah Khalil

Abdallah Khalil served in the Egyptian Army from 1910 to 1924, and the Sudan Defence Force from 1925 until 1944.

Abdallah Khalil was the first Sudanese to reach the rank of brigadier.

In 1944 Abdallah Khalil became an influential member of the Advisory Council for the Northern Sudan, which became a pro-Mahdist organisation.

In 1945 Abdallah Khalil helped found the Umma Party, and became the party's first Secretary General.

Abdallah Khalil was for instance appointed Minister of Agriculture in 1947, largely due to his insistence that this was necessary to counterbalance the strong role of the Khatmiyya and to respond to the Sudanization press.

In 1948 Abdallah Khalil became leader of the newly formed Legislative Assembly and Executive Council, serving the Umma Party's representative on the Constitutional Commission.

Abdallah Khalil was elected to parliament in the 1953 parliamentary election.

Abdallah Khalil served as Prime Minister and Minister of Defence in the new government.

Abdallah Khalil allied Sudan with the United States, sparking a tense standoff with Egypt under Gamal Abdel Nasser.

On November 17,1958, Abdallah Khalil carried out a military coup against his own government, putting the government under the control of a military junta.