1994 - The Beja Congress, formed in the 1960s, first takes up arms against the government

2000

May - Beja Congress sabotages the export oil pipeline to the port of Bashir

2005

Jan - Government forces kill at least 20 Beja protesters in Port Sudan, eastern Sudan, and arrest scores of others. The protesters were calling for greater autonomy from Khartoum

Feb - Rashaida Free Lions and the Beja Congress rebel groups merge to form the Eastern Front

Jun - Beja Congress launches offensive around Tokar, 120km south of Port Sudan. Sudanese government says Darfur's Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Eritrea are backing eastern rebels

May - Eastern Front rebels threaten uprising and kidnap three ruling party politicians near Eritrean border. Talks between government and eastern parties result in $88m aid promise to Red Sea state over three years

Rebel groups claim Sudanese warplanes have bombed targets, wounding civilians. The government denies the bombings

Jul - Sudan lifts the state of emergency, except in Darfur and the east

2006

Jan - Government forces withdraw after clashing with Eastern Front troops in SPLA and Eastern Front-held Hamashkoreb. Peace talks scheduled for February

Feb - Eastern Front rebels indefinitely postpone peace talks with government

Mar - Eastern Front accuse the government of raising local militias to fan insecurity in the east, after a spate of militia attacks allegedly kill 12 civilians

Apr - In eastern Kassala, rebels attack government positions, killing 8. Khartoum asks Eritrea to mediate

May - The government and Eastern Front agree to hold talks in Asmara on Jun. 13, to be hosted by Eritrea

Oct - Sudan signs a peace deal with Eastern Front in the Eritrean capital, Asmara

2007

May - Eastern Front agrees on a list of candidates for three government posts, to allow delayed 2006 peace deal to go ahead

2008

Aug - Eastern Front leader warns former rebel fighters living in camps may return to war unless government releases the money needed to help them disarm, demobilise and reintegrate as required under the peace deal

Eastern Front suspends its chairman, accusing him of splitting the political party along tribal lines

2009

Mar - International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for Bashir over war crimes in Darfur. Government expels 13 foreign aid groups from Sudan, and closes three local aid agencies in Darfur. The expulsion threatens aid programmes in south and east Sudan, as well as Darfur

Bashir later says he wants all foreign aid agencies to stop distributing relief within a year, and to train up Sudanese organisations to replace them