| Ahmad bin Hussein al-Ghashmi | |
| Office: | 4th President of the Yemen Arab Republic |
| Primeminister: | Abdul Aziz Abdul Ghani |
| Term Start: | 11 October 1977 |
| Term End: | 24 June 1978 |
| Predecessor: | Ibrahim al-Hamdi |
| Successor: | Abdul Karim Abdullah al-Arashi |
| Party: | None (Military) |
| Birth Date: | 21 August 1935 |
| Birth Place: | Hamdan District, Sana'a Governorate, Kingdom of Yemen |
| Death Place: | Sana'a, North Yemen |
| Death Cause: | Assassination |
| Allegiance: | (1956–1962) (1962–1978) |
| Serviceyears: | 1956–1978 |
| Rank: | Major General |
| Battles: | |
| Native Name Lang: | ar |
Ahmad bin Hussein al-Ghashmi (21 August 1935 – 24 June 1978)[1] (ar|أحمد حسين الغشمي|Aḥmad Ḥusayn al-Ghašmī) was a Yemeni military officer who served as the fourth President of the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) from 11 October 1977 until his assassination eight months later. Al-Ghashmi had assumed power when his predecessor, Ibrahim al-Hamdi, was assassinated.[2]
Ahmed al-Ghashmi was born on 21 August 1935 in Hamdan District, Sanaa Governorate, North Yemen.[3] According to some sources he was born in 1938, but according to others he was born in 1941.
After the coup d'état of September 26, 1962 and the subsequent outbreak of the North Yemen Civil War (1962-1970) began. Al-Gashmi defected to the republican side of Abdullah al-Sallal against the royalists under Muhammad al-Badr.
By the time Ibrahim al-Hamdi was president of North Yemen, al-Gashmi was vice president of the Leadership Council and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.
On 11 October 1977, al-Hamdi was assassinated and al-Gashmi took over the country. A man believed to be a Saudi agent was accused of assassinating the president. Al-Gashmi himself was also suspected.[4] [5] [6]
President al-Ghashmi reinstated the 1970 Constitution, which had previously been suspended by al-Hamdi, the country's previous President, in 1974. However, an important body such as the Consultative Council was not reinstated, and at the same time the office of the President was introduced.[7]
He appointed Ali Abdullah Saleh as military governor in Taiz, who became the next president.[8]
His assassination occurred on 24 June 1978 when he was meeting an envoy sent by People's Democratic Republic of Yemen President, Salim Rubai Ali. A briefcase, reportedly containing a secret message, exploded, killing both al-Ghashmi and the envoy. It is not conclusively known who set off the explosion.[9]
Coincidentally, Rubai Ali died in a coup three days after this event.