1884    The Siege of Khartoum, Sudan begins, ending on January 26, 1885.

1885    A British force defeats a large Dervish army at the Battle of Abu Klea in the Sudan.

1896    British force under Horatio Kitchener takes Dongola in the Sudan.

1956    The Republic of the Sudan achieves independence from the Egyptian Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

1956    Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia join the United Nations.

1973    Black September storms the Saudi embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, resulting in the assassination of three Western hostages.

1991    Sudan's government imposes Islamic law nationwide, worsening the civil war between the country's Muslim north and Christian south.

1997    The United States of America imposes economic sanctions against Sudan in response to its human rights abuses of its own citizens and its material and political assistance to Islamic extremist groups across the Middle East and Eastern Africa.

1998    U.S. embassy bombings: the United States launches cruise missile attacks against alleged al-Qaida camps in Afghanistan and a suspected chemical plant in Sudan in retaliation for the August 7 bombings of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

2004    Darfur conflict: The Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement is signed by the Sudanese government and two rebel groups.

2005    Chad declares a state of war against Sudan following a December 18 attack on Adré, which left about 100 people dead.

2006    The government of Sudan signs an accord with the Sudan Liberation Army.