Office: | Minister of War |
President: | Anwar Sadat |
Predecessor: | Mohammed Fawzi |
Successor: | Ahmed Ismail Ali |
Term Start: | 14 May 1971 |
Term End: | 26 October 1972 |
Birth Date: | October 1917 |
Birth Place: | Al Qatawiya, Sharqia Governorate, Sultanate of Egypt |
Death Date: | 15 March |
Allegiance: | Egypt |
Unit: | 7th Infantry Regiment |
Serviceyears: | 1937–1972 |
Rank: | Colonel General |
Nationality: | Egyptian |
Children: | 2 |
Mohammed Ahmed Sadek (Arabic: محمد أحمد صادق; October 1917 – 15 March 1991) was an Egyptian colonel general who served as defense minister under the rule of President Anwar Sadat.
Sadek was born in Al Qatawiya, a village in the Sharqia Governorate, in October 1917.[1] He graduated from the Egypt's military academy in 1938 and from M. V. Frunze Military Academy in the Soviet Union.[2]
Sadek joined the army and started his military career in the royal guard.[1] He took part in the Palestine war in 1948 and the Suez Campaign in 1956.[2] From 1962 to 1964 he was military attaché at the Egypt's embassy in Bonn.[2] Then he was made the curricula director of the military academy in 1965 where he served until 1967.[2] He was the head of military intelligence from June 1967 to 1969.[2] [3] In September 1969, he briefly acted as the general secretary of the Pan Arab Organization, being in charge of military affairs.[2] He was also named as the Chief of the General Staff by President Gamal Abdel Nasser in September 1969.[4] In 1970, Sadek was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.[2]
Sadek was appointed minister of war by Anwar Sadat on 14 May 1971 after the resignation of Mohammed Fawzi.[5] [6] [7] Upon his appointment, he was promoted to full general.[8] When Sadek was in office, he also held the job of armed forces commander in chief.[9] Sadek was dismissed from office on 26 October 1972,[5] and was put under house arrest.[10] [11]
Sadek's anti-Soviet approach was cited as the reason for his dismissal.[9] Another reason given for Sadek's dismissal was his criticisms over Anwar Sadat's approach concerning the war with Israel.[12] Sadek was replaced by Ahmed Ismail Ali as defense minister in October 1972.[13]
Sadek was married and had two sons.[2] He died on 15 March 1991.[1]