Who Is Hemedti? The RSF Commander Convicted Over Darfur Governor's Killing

A Sudanese court has sentenced Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti, the commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), to death in absentia over the killing of the governor of West Darfur, according to state media.

The court sentenced Hemedti and 15 others to death for their role in the killing of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abakar in June 2023,. Abakar was killed shortly after giving an interview in which he accused the RSF of committing genocide in the region. The verdict comes as Sudan's civil war, which erupted in April 2023, continues to devastate the country, with the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces locked in a brutal conflict that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.

From Janjaweed Commander To Deputy Leader

Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo rose from the ranks of the Janjaweed militias in Darfur to become one of Sudan's most powerful military figures. Born into a nomadic Arab family in the 1970s, he built his military career in the decades-long conflict in Darfur, where the Janjaweed were accused of atrocities against non-Arab communities.

In 2013, Hemedti was appointed commander of the newly formed Rapid Support Forces, which grew out of the Janjaweed militias. The RSF became a powerful paramilitary force, operating alongside the Sudanese army and playing a key role in suppressing dissent. Following the 2019 ouster of President Omar al-Bashir, Hemedti and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan emerged as the country's most powerful figures. They jointly orchestrated the 2021 coup that derailed Sudan's democratic transition, with Hemedti serving as Sudan's de facto deputy leader.

However, their alliance fractured over the integration of the RSF into the armed forces, triggering the civil war that erupted in April 2023.

Sudan's Devastating Civil War

The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces has followed a deadly pattern, with the RSF accused of committing atrocities against civilians, particularly in the Darfur region. According to a UN investigation, the atrocities committed during and after the siege of El Fasher displayed "hallmarks of genocide" against the Zaghawa and Fur communities. The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission concluded that the siege deliberately imposed "conditions of life calculated to bring about physical destruction" of targeted communities through starvation, denial of healthcare and restrictions on humanitarian assistance.

When RSF fighters entered El Fasher in October 2025, survivors described fighters moving through residential neighbourhoods, separating civilians at checkpoints and carrying out executions in homes, hospitals and places of refuge. One survivor told investigators that a commander identified as "Abu Lulu" declared: "I was planning to kill 2,000 people today, but I lost count, so I will start all over again." The Fact-Finding Mission verified videos showing bodies piled inside university buildings.

The humanitarian consequences of the conflict continue to deepen. Nearly 19.5 million people across Sudan are expected to face acute food insecurity during the lean season, with famine remaining a risk in conflict-affected areas. The UN has verified more than 5,700 grave violations against children since fighting began, while hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced.

Army Claims Victories

Sudan's Security and Defense Council congratulated the armed forces on what it described as "victories across all fronts." The statement did not provide specific details on the battlefield gains but comes as the army has sought to push back against RSF advances in key regions.

International attention has increasingly turned to El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, where UN officials fear a repeat of the El Fasher siege. The International Criminal Court has separately warned of an "ongoing pattern of large-scale crimes against humanity" across Darfur.