Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo, known as Hemedti, has emerged as a dominant figure on Sudan's political stage, with his paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) now controlling half of the country.
The RSF scored a notable victory recently when it overran the city of el-Fasher, the last garrison held by the Sudanese army and its local allies in the western region of Darfur.
Feared and loathed by his adversaries, Hemedti is admired by his followers for his tenacity, ruthlessness, and his promise to tear down a discredited state.
Hemedti has humble origins, hailing from the Mahariya section of the camel-herding Rizeigat community that spans Chad and Darfur. Born around 1974 or 1975, he dropped out of school in his early teens to trade camels across the desert to Libya and Egypt.
In the chaotic era that followed, he rose through the ranks of the Janjaweed militias, initially led by his uncle. The Janjaweed were notorious for their brutal tactics during the Darfur conflict, where they were accused of committing genocide against various ethnic groups.
Over the years, Hemedti capitalized on opportunities that arose from the violence and instability, gaining control over lucrative gold mines and eventually forming the RSF, which transformed his militia into a formidable paramilitary force.
Following the ousting of former President Omar al-Bashir in 2019, Hemedti initially held a position of popularity, but his legacy was soon tainted by allegations of war crimes and atrocities committed by the RSF, particularly during recent conflicts.
As Sudan's current war rages on, Hemedti’s ambitions of becoming a power broker in the tumultuous landscape are clear, even as the international community watches with concern.
