Sudan's General “Hemeti” Dagalo
            

LIBYA 
CHAD
C.A.R. 
EGYPT 
SUDAN
Port Sudan
Omdurman
Khartoum
DARFUR
SOUTH SUDAN
SAUDI ARABIA 
RED SEA
ERITREA 
DJIBOUTI
400km 250 miles


1974: Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo – “Hemeti” – is born to Chadian Arab clan of camel-herding nomads

1980s: Clan settles in northern Darfur. Hemeti attends elementary school, avidly studying Koran

1987: Formal education ends at age 13. Settles in Libya, trading camels across border with Chad

2003: Hemeti returns to Darfur and becomes leader of Janjaweed militia

2003-13: President Omar al-Bashir (right) deploys Janjaweed and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to carry out brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing

2013: Fearing SAF uprising, Bashir makes Hemeti head of new paramilitary unit, Rapid Support Forces (RSF)

2015: RSF mercenaries fight for Saudi-led coalition in Yemen

2017: Hemeti’s family takes control of gold mines in Darfur – allowing gold mining by Russian Wagner mercenaries in exchange for weapons
        
2019: Following protests over decades of economic hardship and repression, Hemeti and SAF Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan work together to topple President Bashir
            
2020: Hemeti backs Russia’s bid to establish naval base at Port Sudan, Burhan blocks deal
    
2021: RSF and SAF seize power in military coup
    
Apr 2023: Political groups and tribal leaders reject U.S.-sponsored deal to transfer power from military to civilian government

Apr 15: Hemeti attempts coup to take control of Sudan
            

Sources: Financial Times, Foreign Policy, Middle East Eye 
Pictures: Getty Images 
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