Omar al-Bashir deployed every trick in the dictator’s handbook in his battle to cling on to power before his own military finally turned on him.
During months of demonstrations, the Sudanese president imposed a state of emergency, appointed security officials to run the country’s states, promised national dialogue and deployed troops to shoot and beat protesters demanding an end to his 30-year rule.
But Sudanese people continued to take to the streets in vast numbers, putting aside their fears of the autocratic regime to vent their anger at years of oppressive rule and economic hardship. And on Thursday Mr Bashir became the second Arab leader this month to be forced from office; nine days ago the Algerian military stepped in to finally end Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s 20-year reign.