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. His family is from the Mahariya section of the camel-herding, Arabic-speaking Rizeigat community that spans Chad and Darfur.
He was born in 1974 or 1975 - like many from a rural background, his date and place of birth were not registered.
Led by his uncle Juma Dagolo, his clan moved into Darfur in the 1970s and 80s, fleeing war and seeking greener pastures and were allowed to settle.
After dropping out of school in his early teens, Hemedti earned money trading camels across the desert to Libya and Egypt.
At the time, Darfur was Sudan's wild west - poor, lawless, and neglected by the government of then-President Omar al-Bashir.
Arab militiamen known as the Janjaweed, including a force commanded by Juma Dagolo, were attacking the villages of the indigenous Fur ethnic group.
This cycle of violence led to a full-scale rebellion in 2003, in which Fur fighters were joined by Masalit, Zaghawa, and other groups, saying they had been ignored by the country's Arab elite.
In response, Bashir massively expanded the Janjaweed to spearhead his counter-insurgency efforts. They quickly won notoriety for burning, looting, raping, and killing.
Hemedti's unit was among them, with a report by African Union peacekeepers saying it attacked and destroyed the village of Adwa in November 2004, killing 126 people, including 36 children.
A US investigation determined that the Janjaweed were responsible for genocide. The Darfur conflict was referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which charged four men, including Bashir, who has denied carrying out genocide.
In the following years, Hemedti played his cards skillfully, rising to become head of a powerful paramilitary force, a corporate empire, and a political machine. His family company Al-Gunaid became Sudan's largest gold exporter.
In 2013, Hemedti formalized his role as head of the RSF, directly reporting to Bashir. The Janjaweed were integrated into the RSF, receiving improved support and organization.
The RSF has since gained notoriety for its role in various conflicts, including fighting in Yemen and facing off against insurgencies within Sudan.
In April 2019, Hemedti's forces played a crucial role in the ousting of President Bashir during widespread protests. However, tensions have escalated recently, culminating in a violent struggle between the RSF and the Sudanese army.
The conflict in Sudan has now far-reaching implications, with both international attention and accusations of civilian atrocities surfacing. Amidst the chaos, Hemedti continues to navigate his path, seeing himself as a pivotal player in Sudan's future.
