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Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo, previously made his fortune dealing in livestock and precious metals. Today, his RSF militia control a vast expanse of the Sudanese territory.

Consolidating Control in Darfur

The RSF recently achieved a notable triumph by capturing the city of al-Fasher, which was the last remaining army garrison in the Darfur area.

Feared and despised by his opponents, Hemedti is revered by his loyalists for his determination and his promise to tear down the corrupt state.

Modest Origins

His background is humble. He comes from the Mahariya section of the Rizeigat tribe, an Arabic-speaking group that spans the Chad-Sudan border region.

His birth year is approximately 1975, as is common in remote regions, his exact birth details were not officially registered.

Led by his uncle Juma Dagolo, his family moved to Darfur in the 1970s and 80s, escaping war and in search of greener pastures.

Early Career

Dropping out of education in his early teens, Hemedti began earning by dealing in livestock across the desert to Libya and Egypt.

During that period, Darfur was Sudan's wild west—impoverished, neglected by the regime of then-President Omar al-Bashir.

Local armed groups known as the Janjaweed attacked villages of the indigenous Fur, escalating a major uprising in 2003.

Ascendancy Amid Conflict

In response, Bashir greatly enlarged the Janjaweed to spearhead his anti-rebel campaign. They soon became infamous for burning, looting, and killing.

Hemedti's unit was part of this, implicated in destroying the village of Adwah in November 2004, claiming the lives of over a hundred individuals, including 36 children.

International inquiries determined that the Janjaweed were responsible for crimes against humanity.

Calculated Moves

In the years following the height of violence in 2004, Hemedti astutely managed his rise to become head of a influential militia, a corporate empire, and a political organization.

At one point he rebelled, requesting unpaid salaries for his soldiers, advancements, and a political position for his brother. Bashir granted many of his requests.

Later, when other Janjaweed units rebelled, Hemedti commanded government forces that defeated them, taking over Darfur's biggest gold mining site at Jabel Amir.

Quickly, his business venture al-Gunaid became the top gold exporter in Sudan.

Formalizing Power

By 2013, Hemedti asked for and received official recognition as commander of the newly formed Rapid Support Forces, answering only to Bashir.

The Janjaweed were integrated into the RSF, getting modern equipment and training.

Regional Ambitions

Hemedti's forces engaged in Darfur, performed less successfully in the Nuba region, and accepted a role to guard the Libyan frontier.

Ostensibly stopping illegal crossings, Hemedti's officers also engaged in corruption and human smuggling.

In 2015, Saudi Arabia and the UAE requested Sudanese troops for the Yemen conflict. Hemedti negotiated a separate deal to provide RSF mercenaries.

The Abu Dhabi connection proved most consequential, beginning a strong alliance with Emirati leadership.

Expanding Influence

Young Sudanese men trekked to RSF enlistment offices for cash payments of up to $6,000.

Hemedti formed an alliance with the Russian Wagner organization, gaining expertise in exchange for business arrangements, particularly in gold.

His trip to Russia coincided with the day of the Ukraine war outbreak.

Political Betrayal

As protests grew, Bashir deployed Hemedti's units to the capital Khartoum, dubbing him himayti.

This backfired. In 2019, when demonstrators demanded democracy, Bashir ordered the army to open fire. Instead, the generals deposed him.

For a time, Hemedti was celebrated as a new leader for Sudan. He attempted to rebrand, but this was short-lived.

Renewed Brutality

As the transition stalled, Hemedti deployed his forces, which committed massacres, assaulted females, and allegedly drowned men in the River Nile.

Hemedti has rejected that the RSF committed atrocities.

Under foreign pressure, the generals and civilians agreed to a compromise, leading to an unstable coexistence for two years.

Current Conflict

When a committee started looking into army businesses, Burhan and Hemedti dismissed the civilians and took control.

But they fell out. Burhan demanded the RSF come under army command. Hemedti resisted.

In April 2023, RSF units attempted to seize strategic locations in the capital. The attempted putsch failed, and violence broke out city-wide.

Conflict intensified in Darfur, with the RSF mounting a vicious campaign against the Masalit people.

International organizations report up to 15,000 civilian deaths, with the American officials calling it ethnic cleansing.

Current Status

The RSF has acquired advanced arms, including sophisticated drones, used to strike Burhan's stronghold and crucial in the assault on al-Fasher.

Equipped thus, the RSF is in a deadlock with the national military.

Hemedti has formed a rival administration, the so-called unity government, appointing himself leader.

After taking el-Fasher, the RSF now holds the majority of inhabited territory west of the Nile.

After allegations of atrocities, Hemedti declared an investigation into abuses perpetrated by his soldiers.

Many believe Hemedti envisions himself as president of a breakaway state or still aims to control the entire country.

Alternatively, he may emerge as a behind-the-scenes power broker, commanding businesses, a mercenary army, and a political party.

And as Hemedti's troops commit violence in el-Fasher, he appears confident of impunity in a world that does not care.