Hemedti: A camel trader with a shady past who aims to rule Sudan

ISTANBUL (AA) – Days after the ouster of long-serving President Omar al-Bashir, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo emerged as one of the most powerful men in Sudan.

Dagalo, better known by his nickname Hemedti, 48, rose from a simple camel trader to become commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), now aspiring to overthrow Sudan’s army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Hemedti is famous for shifting loyalties as he took part alongside al-Burhan in ending the rule of longtime President Bashir (1989-2019).

Previously following the orders of Bashir, he arrested militia leader, Musa Hilal, who was a government pawn in fighting the rebels in the Darfur region.

Hemedti made alliances with several countries and warlords. His commanded forces were reportedly involved in Yemen and Libya.

Russian President Vladimir Putin received Hemedti in Moscow on the same day he launched his military operation in Ukraine, on February 24, 2022.

He was also received by several Arab leaders, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Hemedti accumulated wealth and power by taking control of many sites in the gold-rich mining areas in Darfur.

His family runs the Al Junaid gold mining company, after it was seized in 2017 from Musa Hilal, a former Janjaweed militia leader.

In a country where gold accounts for about 44% of total exports, Hemedti and his RSF achieved financial independence from the country’s army.

This financial autonomy strengthened Hemedti’s position and allowed him to recruit tens of thousands of fighters.

The RSF, a paramilitary force that has been accused of a myriad of human rights abuses in the western province of Darfur and elsewhere, became an army that only lacks in heavy weaponry and aviation.

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by Al-Burhan are heavily armed especially with tanks and warplanes, and have large numbers of soldiers. The RSF on the other hand is equipped with light weapons and armored vehicles, and is known for its combat experience in desert wars, speed of movement, and maneuver.

A military security reform envisaging “the full participation of the RSF in the army” was put forward as part of a 2-year transition period deal.

However, Hemedti refused to integrate his forces into the army until after 10 years.

The failure of the two parties to reach a compromise prompted Hemedti to move his forces to the north toward Merowe city, which contains the Merowe Dam, the largest dam in the country, a civilian airport, the second largest after Khartoum Airport, in addition to a military base where about five Egyptian military aircraft of the type MiG-29 were kept.