Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by their commander Mohamed Dagalo Hamdan popularly known as “Hemedti” or “Little Mohamed,” held a meeting in Nairobi on February 18 to launch a parallel government in Khartoum, which it termed a “Government of Peace and Unity.”
The event was a preliminary step towards forming a new political alliance comprising political forces and armed groups supporting the sanctioned militia, a move which has since sparked outrage.
Dagalo came to prominence as the deputy leader of the transitional council established after former strongman Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in 2019.
But who is this figure who has risen through the ranks to become one of Sudan’s richest and most powerful men, the force behind the country’s feared fighters?
Early Life and Education of Mohamed Dagalo
The RSF leader was born around 1974 into the Mahariya tribe of the Rizeigat community in Darfur, the nephew of a tribal chief in the camel-trading branch of the Rizeigat.
Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo has little formal education, having dropped out of school in the third grade before becoming a camel trader.
The most common story about him is that he was forced to take up arms during the Darfur conflict after his trade convoy was attacked, 60 members of his family were killed, and his camels were looted.
He joined the Janjaweed, a group of Arab tribal militias mostly made up of camel-trading tribes, which were active in Darfur and parts of Chad.
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RSF Leader Working with Ousted President Omar Bashir
Dagalo quickly rose through the ranks, catching the attention of President Omar al-Bashir, who was recruiting Janjaweed fighters to combat the non-Arab populations revolting against his rule in Darfur in 2003.
As a result, Dagalo became a commander.
Always an opportunist, he briefly led a rebellion against Bashir and Khartoum in 2007-08, withdrawing his forces into the bush and fighting the army before cutting a deal with the government that promoted him to general.
Dagalo won the rank of lieutenant general and was given free rein as he seized lucrative gold mines in Darfur belonging to a rival tribal leader. He multiplied his fortune many times over.
His rise under Bashir came with other rewards. Allowed to operate with autonomy and a large degree of impunity, he seized goldmines from a rival tribal leader in Darfur – the source of his considerable wealth.
Hemedti overnight became the country’s biggest gold trader and – by controlling the border with Chad and Libya – its biggest border guard.
Formation of RSF
In 2013, Hemedti formed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) around a core of the Janjaweed, initially tasked with fighting the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North in the Nuba Mountains.
Over time, the RSF’s recruitment expanded, laying the groundwork for Hemedti’s later rise to power in Sudan.
It combined elements of the Janjaweed into a new force under the auspices of al-Bashir and his National Intelligence and Security Services.
Soon, Dagalo gained further legitimacy and a significant degree of autonomy as al-Bashir, impressed by the tall, imposing militia leader, began to rely on him and his fighters to eliminate his enemies in Darfur and other parts of Sudan.
In Darfur, Hemedti earned a reputation as a ruthless commander and a loyal servant to Bashir.
So, the RSF was made answerable to Bashir himself – the president gave Hemedti the nickname “Himayti”, meaning “My Protector”.
Over the years, Dagalo has built powerful alliances both regionally and internationally. He deployed RSF forces to fight Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen, aligning with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The RSF leader has also met with Western ambassadors, engaged in talks with rebel groups, brokered peace between warring tribes, and publicly advocated for the importance of democracy in Sudan, while openly expressing his animosity toward the Sudanese army.
Since April 2023, the RSF has been engaged in fighting with the Sudanese military, and there has been increasing criticism of its conduct during the ongoing conflict.
After nearly two years of war between the RSF and Sudan’s army, the RSF controls most of the west of Sudan and parts of the capital, Khartoum.
From Bashir Ally to Key Opponent
Despite being a longtime ally of al-Bashir and benefiting greatly under his rule, Dagalo played a key role in overthrowing the president when the 2019 uprising broke out, ending his nearly 30-year reign.
Following al-Bashir’s departure, a civilian-military partnership was established, and Dagalo positioned himself strategically during that transitional period.
He became the deputy head of the Transitional Military Council, which held power immediately after al-Bashir’s fall and later became part of its successor, the Sovereignty Council.
Hemedti owns, along with other family members, a gold mining company that operates on lands he seized in Darfur in 2017.
The war in Sudan has created what the U.N. has called the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, and both the RSF and army have been accused of extensive human rights violations.
The United States has determined that the RSF has committed genocide in areas under its control. In January this year used sanctioned Hemedti and barred him and his immediate family members from visiting the US, and any personal assets there are blocked.
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