General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo - The African Mirror

Apr

2023

Sudanese paramilitary head commits to de-escalate tensions with army

KHALID ABDELAZIZ and NAFISA ELTAHIR GENERAL Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the head of a powerful Sudanese paramilitary group, said he was ready to meet the army chief to de-escalate tensions between his Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the army, mediators said. The army on Thursday warned of a possible confrontation between the two forces following mobilisations by the RSF, in the most public sign of long-simmering disagreements that are hampering efforts to restore civilian rule. The RSF, which together with the army overthrew long-ruling autocrat Omar al-Bashir in 2019, began redeploying units in the capital Khartoum and elsewhere amid talks last month on…

Apr

2023

By KHALID ABDELAZIZ and NAFISA ELTAHIR

Sudan’s army says paramilitary mobilisation risks confrontation

NEWS

SUDAN'S army warned of a risk of confrontation after mobilisations by a powerful paramilitary group, underlining growing strains between the rival forces and a potential complication in moves to restore civilian rule. It could spell prolonged strife across a vast country already dealing with economic breakdown and flare-ups of tribal violence. The mobilisation by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) headed by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo represented a "clear violation of law," the army said in a rare comment on a dispute that has hampered a planned transition to democracy. "These movements and deployments happened without the agreement of the leadership of the…

Mar

2023

By The African Mirror

Analysis: Sudan paramilitary leader jostles for role ahead of civilian handover

NEWS

KHALID ABDELAZIZ THE leader of a powerful paramilitary force in Sudan has put himself at the forefront of a planned transition toward democracy, unsettling fellow military rulers and triggering a mobilisation of troops in the capital Khartoum last week. General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo commands tens of thousands of fighters in the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and has amassed considerable mineral wealth. He is also deputy leader of Sudan's ruling council, which took power in a coup more than a year ago. Recently however, Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti, has pulled away from military colleagues and found common ground with…

Mar

2022

By The African Mirror

Hemedti says Sudan should be open to naval base accord with Russia, or others

NEWS

SUDAN'S deputy head of state said his country had no problem with Russia or any other country opening a naval base on its Red Sea coast, provided it posed no threat to national security. General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti, deputy head of Sudan's sovereign council, was speaking on arrival in Khartoum following a trip to Moscow that began on February 23, the eve of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "We have 730 kilometres along the Red Sea. If any country wants to open a base and it is in our interests and doesn't threaten our national security we…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

New joint force to “crack down on insecurity” in Sudan

NEWS

SUDAN’S military has announced plans to create a joint force to "crack down on insecurity" and assert the state's authority in the capital and nationwide as an economic crisis and regional tensions plague a fragile transition period. The announcement was made in an order from General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy head of Sudan's ruling sovereign council, that was published late on Thursday. Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, is head of the Rapid Support Forces which will be part of the new force with the police, armed forces, General Intelligence Service and "representatives" of rebel groups and the public prosecutor, the…