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Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo, once earned his living dealing in livestock and precious metals. Currently, his paramilitary Rapid Support Forces control nearly half of the Sudanese territory.

Consolidating Control in Darfur

The RSF recently achieved a significant victory by overrunning the city of el-Fasher, which was the last remaining army garrison in the western region.

Hated and dreaded by his opponents, Hemedti is revered by his loyalists for his tenacity and his vow to dismantle the discredited state.

Modest Origins

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

Born around 1974, like many from rural areas, his exact birth details were not officially registered.

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

Initial Ventures

After leaving school in his adolescence, Hemedti began earning by dealing in livestock across the Sahara to neighboring countries.

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

Arab militiamen known as the Janjawid attacked villages of the native Fur communities, triggering a full-scale rebellion in 2003.

Rise Through Violence

In response, Bashir massively expanded the Janjaweed to lead his anti-rebel campaign. They soon became infamous for widespread atrocities.

Hemedti's force was among them, accused in destroying the village of Adwa in November 2004, killing over a hundred individuals, among them dozens of minors.

International inquiries determined that the Janjaweed were guilty of genocide.

Strategic Maneuvering

In the years following the peak of violence in 2004, Hemedti astutely managed his rise to become leader of a powerful paramilitary force, a business network, and a political organization.

He briefly mutinied, demanding unpaid salaries for his fighters, promotions, and a government role for his sibling. Bashir acceded to many of his requests.

Subsequently, when other Janjaweed units rebelled, Hemedti commanded loyalist troops that defeated them, gaining control Darfur's biggest gold mining site at Jebel Amir.

Rapidly, his business venture Al-Gunaid became Sudan's largest gold exporter.

Institutionalizing Influence

In 2013, Hemedti requested and obtained official recognition as commander of the new paramilitary group, reporting directly to Bashir.

Former militiamen were absorbed into the RSF, getting new uniforms, vehicles, and weapons.

Regional Ambitions

Hemedti's forces engaged in the Darfur conflict, performed less successfully in the Nuba region, and accepted a role to guard the border with Libya.

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

By 2015, Saudi Arabia and the UAE requested Sudanese troops for the war in Yemen. Hemedti struck his own agreement to provide RSF mercenaries.

The Abu Dhabi connection proved most consequential, beginning a close relationship with Emirati leadership.

Growing Power

Recruits flocked to RSF enlistment offices for cash payments of up to $6,000.

Hemedti struck a partnership with Russia's Wagner Group, receiving training in exchange for commercial dealings, including in the gold trade.

He visited Moscow coincided with the day of the Ukraine war outbreak.

Turning on Allies

As protests grew, Bashir ordered Hemedti's units to the city of Khartoum, dubbing him himayti.

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

Initially, Hemedti was celebrated as a new leader for Sudan. He tried to reposition himself, but this was short-lived.

Return to Violence

As the transition stalled, Hemedti unleashed the RSF, which committed massacres, assaulted females, and allegedly drowned men in the River Nile.

Hemedti has denied that the RSF committed atrocities.

Pressed by international powers, the military and civil leaders agreed to a compromise, leading to an unstable coexistence for two years.

Ongoing War

As an investigation began examining military-owned companies, Burhan and Hemedti dismissed the civilians and seized power.

However, they disagreed. Burhan insisted the RSF be integrated into the military. Hemedti resisted.

In April 2023, RSF units moved to surround key bases in the capital. The attempted putsch failed, and fighting erupted across the city.

Violence exploded in Darfur, with the RSF mounting a vicious campaign against the Masalit community.

The UN estimates up to 15,000 civilian deaths, with the US describing it ethnic cleansing.

Current Status

Hemedti's forces obtained advanced arms, including sophisticated drones, deployed against army positions and crucial in the capture of al-Fasher.

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

Hemedti has formed a parallel government, the so-called unity government, taking the chairmanship.

After taking el-Fasher, the RSF now holds the majority of inhabited territory in western Sudan.

Following reports of atrocities, Hemedti announced a probe into violations perpetrated by his soldiers.

Many believe Hemedti envisions himself as ruler of an independent region or still aims to control the entire country.

It's also possible, he may emerge as a behind-the-scenes power broker, commanding businesses, a mercenary army, and a political party.

While Hemedti's troops continue atrocities in al-Fasher, he appears confident of avoiding consequences in a world that does not care.