Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as “Hemedti,” is a notorious Sudanese military leader who has risen through the ranks of the Janjaweed during the 2003-05 war in southern Darfur, where an estimated 300,000 people lost their lives. He is currently the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group that is fighting the Sudanese army forces loyal to army chief Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan.
Hemedti started as a camel trader and a secondary school dropout, but his military career began when he joined the Janjaweed, a group accused of carrying out war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. He quickly rose through the ranks and commanded a brigade, catching the eye of then-dictator Omar al-Bashir, for whom he acted as an enforcer.
Always an opportunist, Hemedti briefly led a rebellion against Bashir and the Khartoum government in 2007-08. He withdrew his forces into the bush and fought the army before cutting a deal with the government that promoted him to general. His actions earned him the reputation of a warlord, and his military exploits are often compared to those of notorious African warlords.
In recent years, Hemedti has become a prominent figure in Sudanese politics, serving as the deputy head of state and leading the RSF, which was established in 2013 to quell the rebellion in Darfur. The group has since been accused of numerous human rights violations, including attacks on civilians and extrajudicial killings.
Hemedti’s influence extends beyond Sudan’s borders. In 2015, he recruited fighters from Darfur to fight as mercenaries in Yemen after the Saudi-Emirati intervention in the country. This move brought him another valuable source of revenue, and was described memorably by Alex de Waal as Hemedti’s “adopting a model of state mercenarism.”
Despite his reputation as a brutal military leader, Hemedti has some support among certain segments of the Sudanese population. He has positioned himself as a nationalist and a defender of Sudanese sovereignty, and has been able to mobilize supporters through his military exploits.
However, Hemedti’s recent clashes with the Sudanese army have raised concerns about his growing power and the potential for further violence in the country. The situation remains tense, and it is unclear what the future holds for Sudan and its controversial military leader.