- 1940: Born in the region of Batna, southeast of Algiers.

- 1957: Joins Algeria's National Liberation Army in its eight-year war against French colonial forces.

- 1962: When the country wins independence he joins the army and rises through the ranks.

- 1994: Becomes chief of Algeria's land forces at the height of a decade-long civil war pitting the regime against Islamist insurgents.

- 2004: Picked by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika as army chief of staff.

- 2013: Becomes deputy defence minister.

- April, 2019: Amid mass protests, demands the ailing Bouteflika step down or be declared medically unfit to rule. Gaid Salah then calls for his impeachment, after which Bouteflika resigns.

- May 20: Urges demonstrators to accept presidential polls to elect a successor and rejects their demands to overhaul existing governing institutions.

- December 23: Dies of a heart attack aged 79.