The Rapid Support Forces: A Comprehensive Profile

The Rapid Support Forces: A Comprehensive Profile

This document provides an overview of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and:

Their key members
Their sources of weapons and training
Their sources of income (including their smuggling activities and their associated businesses)

1. Key members of the Rapid Support Forces

This is a brief profile of high-ranking members of the Rapid Support Forces militia, and those with specialist administrative functions. According to conservative estimates, the RSF has 30,000 troops. The number of RSF officers from the Dagallo family are estimated at around 2,900, with the total number of officers from Mahriya clan of the Rizeigat tribe estimated at over 5,000.

Commander

First General Mohammed Hamdan Dagallo – also known as Himedti

Himedti is the commander of the Rapid Support Forces and the deputy chairman of the Sudanese sovereign council. The RSF was formed in 2013, with Himedti as its commander, from the remnants of the Janjaweed militia that was tasked with suppressing the Darfur rebellion. Initially under the command for the National Intelligence and Security Service, it then came under the command of former president Omar al-Bashir, who boosted the RSF as his own “praetorian guard” in order to mitigate threats of an internal coup.

Under Himedti’s leadership, the RSF wrestled control of gold-rich Jebel Amir in Darfur from tribal rival Musa Hilal, effectively propelling Himedti into becoming one of the richest and most powerful men in Sudan. As a result, Himedti is described as the de-facto leader of Sudan.

Major Generals

Major General Abdulrahim Hamdan Dagallo

Major General Abdulrahim Hamdan Dagallo is Himedti’s brother, and deputy commander of the Rapid Support Forces. Abdulrahim Dagallo is the Chairman of the Junaid Group, a holding company owned by the Dagallo family, that is active in various industries, including: gold mining, transport, tourism, infrastructure, iron and steel. The RSF pursues its business interests via the Junaid group.

Major General Nooreldin Ahmed Abdelwahab

A former Sudanese diplomat, and the head of the RSF human rights unit, Nooreldin Abdelwahab spoke to the New York Times following the June 3 massacre. He dismissed accounts the RSF recruits child soldiers as “fake news.” During his interview with NYT reporter Declan Walsh, he summoned five men in that the RSF arrested into the room, but did not permit any questions. In a lengthy interview with Sudanese TV station Al-Shorooq, Abdelwahab claimed that the RSF’s investment in various companies provides it with large funds to donate to the Sudanese people.

Major General Osman Mohamed Hamed

Osman Mohamed Hamed - this picture was taken when he was still a Brigadier. On his recent TV appearances, he has the insignia of a Major General.

He is the head of the RSF’s Operations Department, and leads the RSF in Khartoum. After the June 3 massacre, he went on Sudan’s Blue Nile TV to say that the RSF’s presence in cities across Sudan was a necessity due to the security conditions, and he refuted allegations of using child soldiers by saying that a US delegation had visited the RSF to monitor their recruitment processes. He also claimed that the massacre was carried out by rebel groups disguised in RSF uniforms. He further denied allegations that the RSF carried out the June 3 massacre on the pan-Arab Al-Hadath TV.

Major General Essameldin Saleh Fadhil

Major General Essameldin Saleh al-Fadhil

RSF legal advisor and Military Court Judge.

Major General Hassan Mohammed Abdullah

Major General Hassan Ahmed Abdalla. The words insinuate his role in the Janjaweed’s massacre in al-Dabba in Sudan’s Northern state.

A member of the Janjaweed Brigade in the RSF, who is responsible for carrying out numerous assassinations.

Brigadiers

Brigadier Madawi Hussein Zi al-Nur

The former commander of al-Jaily camp, it is said that he was formerly active in human trafficking. He is currently stationed in Khartoum.

Brigadier Ahmed Barakatallah

A relative and close friend of Himedti, he is the head of the RSF in South Darfur. Ahmed Barakatalla is in charge of distributing ranks to those from the Mahariya sub-clan of the Rizeigat tribe that dominates the RSF ranks.

Brigadier Gedo Hamdan - also known as Anushok

Known as ‘Anushok’ - he is an RSF commander in Camp Fattasha, and a member of Himedti’s family, with a highly publicised criminal past. He is also known for a campaign to publicly humiliate young men by shaving their hair on the streets of Khartoum.

In 2016, he was enlisted in the Borders Guards (a government paramilitary body initially designated to patrol Sudan’s frontiers) as a part of the “Tabin” – that is, individuals involved in crimes such as looting, banditry and drug trafficking.

Viral images and videos of Anushock shaving young men’s hair in public.

It is also alleged that Anushok participated with Himedti in operations that involved blocking the roads near Nyala Airport in order to rob members of foreign missions and organisations, as well as civilian cars loaded with cash from the Central Bank of Sudan to be given to the local banks. He is known for smuggling humans from Khartoum and cars from Libya. He has also been accused of stealing 30 cars in Zarqa, North Darfur, before smuggling them to Khartoum for sale.

Brigadier Ahmed Abdelrahim

One of the most wanted men in the International Criminal Court and a former field leader of the Janjaweed. Known as Shukratalla, until recently he was governor of the Blue Nile State.

He and current leader of Sudan’s sovereign council Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah El Burhan were the first to be assigned to supervise the training of the Janjaweed, and to burn villages and carry out massacres in Darfur since 2003. They are also said to be the first to introduce rape as a weapon of war in Darfur since 2004.

To torture the people of Geneina, he used to say “on top of Allah and below Shukratalla”

In 2014, he was summoned to military court, charged with rebellion and breaking military law. In 2018, he briefly declared a rebellion against the state and tried to assemble his own Janjaweed militia, having seen how the RSF was rewarded with money, equipment and ranks. He began to coordinate with Musa Hilal’s forces. He went to hiding in Wad Madani, but as of 2019 he was reportedly appointed the commander of armoured corps.

Colonels

Colonel Khalil Mohamed Ismail

A cousin of Himedti, who was the second commander in the Taybah camp, now works as a commander in charge of RSF debt collection in Nyala.

Colonel Ahmed Mohammed El Sherif

A former commander of Umm Sadr camp, now a commander of the RSF’s scouting forces in South Darfur

Lieutenant Colonels

Lieutenant Colonel Gedo Abdulrahman Mohammed

The brother of Himedti’s first wife, he is the former commander of Karari camp, and is now working as a security official in Khartoum. He has three brothers in the RSF.

Lieutenant Colonel Abdulmutallab Eina

He is responsible for logistical operations in the RSF.

Lieutenant Colonel Omar Bila

He is the commander of the RSF military police, and is a member of Himedti’s extended family.

Lieutenant Colonel Ali Ahmed Mahmoud

He is an operational commander that was previously an opponent of the RSF, before being imprisoned for four years and sentenced to death. However, it is claimed that Himedti personally ordered his release and in 2016, he was awarded the rank of Lt. Colonel.

Lieutenant Colonel Issa Bichara Ahmed

Of Chadian nationality, he is the cousin of Chadian Defence Minister Bichara Issa Djadallah

Lieutenant Colonel Abbashr Moussa Agimair

Chadian who came to Sudan in 2010. He reportedly killed tribespeople in Al-Ban Al-Jadeed and Gardood. He is married to the sister of Himedti and was the commander of artillery, and is now the commander of Taiba Camp.

Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Salih Al-Amin Kadada

He is the commander of Al-Juraif camp. He has four brothers in the RSF, all belonging to Himedti’s family.

Majors

Major Gony Hamdan Dagallo

Himedti’s younger brother. After studying in Malaysia, he was awarded the rank of a Major in the RSF, and is a personal secretary for Himedti. Gony is also responsible for the RSF’s procurement processes, and it is mentioned that he frequently travels to Russia. It has also been reported that he oversees the selection and training of 1000 RSF troops to work for the UAE army, mostly from the Dagallo family.

Major Nimr Dagallo

He is an RSF intelligence officer, responsible for gathering information on the Sudanese rebel movements warring with the RSF, as well as identifying and planting traitors among their ranks. It is alleged that he has also been responsible for the killing of dozens of prisoners from the rebel Justice and Equality Movement, after the RSF’s battle with them in Goz Dengu.

Major Rami Adam El Tayeb

Himedti’s secretary and a regular officer in the security apparatus who has been active for four years in human smuggling to Libya and smuggling cars from Libya. In 2013, he was sent by Brigadier General Abdelrahim Juma Dagallo to fuel a conflict between the Gamar and Bani Halba tribes, delivering to the latter 15 Tatcher trucks filled with weapons.

Major Mustafa Ayoub Bashir

From Nyala in Darfur, he graduated in 2015 from the RSF camp in Khartoum. He was the commander of the force that burned the tents and clinics of the University of Khartoum during the June 3 massacre.

Captains

Captain ‘Junaid’ Mohamed Juma Dagallo

Better known as Junaid, he is the son of Juma Dagallo, the former mayor of Zarqa in Darfur that was killed by militias allied to Himedti’s rival Musa Hilal. Junaid Juma Dagallo is said to be active in the liquor and drug trade.

Captain Mohamed Zein Dagallo

As a former captain in the Border Guard Forces (a government paramilitary body initially designated to patrol Sudan’s frontiers), he was dismissed in 2010 for his involvement in the kidnapping of Russian pilots. Upon the RSF’s formation, he was awarded the rank of major and appointed Himedti’s bodyguard. He is also responsible for Himedti’s personal guards.

Lieutenants

Lieutenant Ahmed Adam Issa

Himedti’s cousin and his bodyguard. He was arrested in 2017 in Jebel Awlia (a village in north-central Sudan) with pills and drugs. He was freed from the anti-narcotics police after the RSF launched an attack. His main activity was/is smuggling narcotic pills through Khartoum airport by military aviation.

Lieutenant Habib Adam Issa

Himedti’s cousin and one of his personal guards. The brother of Ahmed Adam Issa, Himedti’s bodyguard that is said to be involved in drug smuggling.

Lieutenant El Sheikh Saeed

He manages the RSF’s official Facebook page, and is the cousin of Brigadier General Madawi Hussein Zi al-Nur.

Lieutenant Hamdan Sharif

A Chadian national, that was part of the Chadian opposition, he joined the RSF in 2017. He was part of the RSF stationed next to the sit-in outside Sudan’s Military of Defence HQ since April 2016, until the square was fatally dispersed on June 3.

Lieutenant Musa Juma Dagallo

The son of the late mayor Juma Dagallo, the brother of Captain Mohammed “Junaid” Juma Dagallo, and the cousin of Himedti. It is alleged that he killed a citizen in Nyala in Darfur.

Lieutenant Musa Issa

The cousin of Himedti and the partner of Ahmed Adam Issa, Himedti’s bodyguard that is said to be involved in drug smuggling.

Lieutenant Ibrahim Mohammed Hussein

Also known as Haneen, he is the nephew of Brigadier General Mudawi Hussein Zi Nur.

Lieutenant Faisal Adam Hamed

Himedti’s bodyguard, who also does shopping for Himedti’s family. He was working as a private cook for Himedti in 2015. At the end of the same year, he killed a young man from the railway district in Nyala. It is alleged that he found the young man standing with his sister in the corner of the street, and took out his gun and killed him.

After he was imprisoned pending court sessions, the dead man’s family refused to reconcile or accept blood money, so Himedti ordered his release and forced them to accept the blood money. He was then sent to Khartoum.

Miscellaneous associates

Adel Dagallo

Previously a minister of state at the Ministry of Tourism under Omar al-Bashir, Adel Dagallo is Himedti’s cousin and the owner of Al Junaid Company for Tourism, Hotels and Malls. Himedti sent him to participate in UN Human Rights meetings in Geneva in 2019, despite the transitional Sudanese government sending the Justice Minister Nasreldine el-Bari.

Adel Dagallo established Al-Junaid Company for Tourism, Hotels and Malls when he was Minister of State for Tourism. The company is constructing a mall in Nyala, as well as some luxury houses and villas across Darfur. It has also constructed the majority of villas and buildings owned by the Dagallo family in Khartoum and Dubai.

Abdel Moneim Gabroun

Personal driver of Major General Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagallo, and a bodyguard and partner of Leuitenant Ahmed Adam Issa in the pills and cannabis trade.

Habib Hareka

A Janjaweed leader and Chadian National that has perpetrated numerous massacres across Sudan. He belonged to the intelligence services until November 2010, and then joined the Janjaweed in 2013. Graduated to captain in 2013, before becoming Major General after a massacre in Darfur. He is now a militia recruitment officer, with an office in Khartoum.

His brother is Ali Hareka, who entered Sudan after escaping Chad where he was targeted by the French Airforce. He joined RSF in 2019, arriving with the batch that carried out June 3 massacre.

2. Weapons and training

Known for possessing elite snipers, the RSF are said to be trained by Russia in suppressing demonstrators, urban warfare and tasks such as assassinations and torture. Photos have circulated online of the RSF using Russian model trucks.

The RSF’s sources of weapons are diversified. As an Arab militia that is part of Sudan’s official security apparatus, it uses government-supplied weapons (p.12) – generally coming from Russian and China arms, as well as domestically produced arms via Sudan’s Military Industry Corporation.

As Sudan’s largest militia, the RSF is also enlisted to confiscate weapons from other militia groups. In 2017, 10,000 RSF soldiers were sent to North Darfur to forcibly collect weapons, in a move that was seen as targeting the militias of Musa Hilal.

An open-source investigation by Bellingcat revealed that weapons likely purchased by Saudi Arabia from Serbia have wound up in the hands of the RSF, by virtue of their presence in the Saudi-Yemeni border. In the summer of 2018, videos posted to Youtube and Telegram showed Houthi forces displaying Serbian Zastava-produced M05 rifles being taken from the bodies of fighters, as well as Sudanese passports and RSF identity cards. Other weapons seized in the raid include Zastava produced M84 light machine guns.

In a New York Times article shortly after the June 3 massacre, when the RSF imposed a curfew in Sudan, it was claimed that Saudi Arabia and the UAE have “lavished [Himedti] with money, weapons and advice.” The article further alleged that Emirati-made armoured vehicles patrol the streets of Khartoum, and that Saudi and Emirati cargo planes had landed at Khartoum airport shortly before the massacre, apparently bearing military matériel, according to Siddig Abufawaz, a former airline pilot.

According to Sudan researcher Eric Reeves, much of the RSF’s modern weaponry comes from Libya, “a fountain of weapons for the greater Sahel region” before and after the fall of former president Gadaffi.

3. Sources of income

I. Mercenary Fighters

As a mercenary group, the Rapid Support Forces benefits from diverse international financing. Already deployed among the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, one thousand RSF members began arriving in eastern Libya in July, beginning a deployment that may eventually reach 4,000 fighters. The RSF is expected to provide security for the Libyan oil facilities that will provide the funds for their services.

In 2018, it was reported that a deal was agreed between the oil ministers of Sudan and South Sudan that the RSF would be deployed to protect South Sudan’s oil fields.

II. Criminal activity - drugs

RSF is said to be active in the drug trade between Libya, Chad and Sudan to some Arab Gulf countries, taking advantage of the immunity and protection granted to them by the Sudanese military regime that provided the RSF with unlimited powers.

The spreading of the RSF across Sudan has encouraged officers and members to deliver cars with quantities of hallucinogenic pills and tramadol, with missions roaming the desert and cities including Tina, Malha, El Geneina, Mallit, enabling cars loaded with drugs to enter Khartoum freely.

As for the cannabis trade, the militia's trips move from the cities of Songo, Um Dafouk in the Darfur region, as well as area along the border area with the Central African Republic, and into Omdurman, where huge quantities of cannabis arrive and are sold.

III. Criminal activity – smuggling humans

After the EU solicited the Sudanese’s government’s help in stemming the flow of migrants into Europe, the RSF was enlisted to patrol the borders. Although the RSF legitimised itself by showing that they are an effective agent in controlling migrant flows, they play a dual role – with allegations that they are selling migrants to Libyan traders.

Testimonies collected from both migrants and RSF members by Dutch think-tank Clingendael found that the RSF took money from migrants in order to use Sudanese army vehicles to smuggle them in Libya.

A 2018 investigation by the New York Times spoke to smugglers, who said that the RSF had also participated in handing over migrants to Libyan militias, who would torture them and hold them for ransom, before sharing the money with the RSF.

The RSF involvement in smuggling and human trafficking takes place across the western and north-western borders of the desert between Egypt, Libya and Chad. Alongside the financial gains, another objective of the RSF’s role in human trafficking is to provide terrorist groups in Libya with fighters, as well as the deployment of some elements of the RSF to spy for the Khartoum regime.

IV. Criminal activity - Weapon smuggling

According to a UN report, the RSF has been selling weapons and military equipment to rebels from the Central African Republic.

With Himedti meeting Khartoum-based CAR militia leader Noureddine Adam several times in 2019, the report detailed how several CAR rebel groups travelled between the Darfuri towns of Nyala and Birao, across the border in to the CAR, to buy vehicles, assault rifles, grenade launchers, ammunition and uniforms.

With the RSF deploying 60 vehicles of fighters to Sudan-CAR border at the time, the UN panel of experts who authored the report stated that the weapons acquisitions occurred “with the complicity of elements from the Rapid Support Force.”

V. Al Junaid Companies – Gold

Al Junaid Holding Group is chaired by Himedti’s brother Major General Abdulrahim Hamdan Dagallo. Given the RSF’s presence in Darfur, where it is estimated that half of Sudan’s gold is located, and revenues are $422 million a year, the RSF is a major player in Sudan’s lucrative gold industry.

Furthermore, with estimates that 75% of Sudan’s gold is smuggled (p.5), combined with the RSF’s involvement in the transport industry, its history of smuggling, and direct accusations that it is involved in gold smuggling from both political experts and senior figures of Sudan’s gold export trade, there are strong grounds to believe that the RSF is active in gold smuggling operations.

Al-Junaid Gold and Minerals Company owned by Major General Abdulrahim Hamdan Dagallo

Al-Junaid is said to own all gold fields in Darfur, particularly the lucrative Jabal Amer mine, which is estimated to hold 17% of Sudan’s gold reserves (p.52). To gain control of Jabal Amir, the RSF carried out a massacre which killed an estimated 800, as Himedti wrestled control of the area from tribal rival Musa Hilal -

Al-Junaid also possesses mines in the Adoulah Mountains and Medoub Mountains, as well as North Kutum, Kordofan and mine fields in Sudan’s northern and eastern states.

Sudan’s smuggled gold is almost exclusively sold in the UAE, taking advantage of lax regulations in both Sudan and the UAE. This effectively means that the companies active in the gold sector are sole beneficiaries of the trade, as the Central Bank of Sudan lacks the capacity to regulate nor tax profits.

Al-Junaid for Mining Waste Treatment

For Al-Junaid to maximise its profits from the gold mining industry, it set up a Mining Waste Treatment company, which is known in Sudan as a “karta” company.

A karta company effectively treats soils and stones with mercury to extract 30% of gold stuck in rocks, and the leftover soil is then treated with cyanide to extract the remaining gold. The waste soil – known as “karta” – is then dumped into the earth, exposing local populations to long-term environmental consequences due to poisoning. Genetic deformities in newborns have been reported, as well as the deaths of livestock and humans.

These harmful gold mining processes have led to mass protests against Al-Junaid, including having one their officers in South Kordofan being torched. Following this, the RSF retaliated by attacking locals.

In addition, Al-Junaid for Mining Waste Treatment has threatened to sue the head of Sudan’s Gold Exporters Abdelmoneim Al-Siddiq, after he accused the company of smuggling gold,

VI. Al Junaid Companies – Transport and Infrastructure

Al-Junaid Company for Camel Trade and Export

Before becoming an armed fighter, RSF commander Himedti was a camel trader with a reputation for forcibly raiding other camel trader’s caravans. This company is of interest following an investigation which revealed the role of camel’s in smuggling gold. Citing Reuters, the New Arab stated that gold smugglers in Sudan are resorting to smuggling gold via the wombs of camels, in order to send gold to Egypt via tribes that are active in Sudan-Egypt camel trade.

Al Junaid Investment for Heavy Trucks

Owned by the Dagallo family, Al Junaid’s Company for Heavy Trucks has products from major industrial countries and enjoys customs exemptions. Al Junaid also has a company for cars and car rentals. Sudan expert Alex de Waal has written that Al-Junaid has smuggled gold into Chad, to exchange for stolen vehicles that are then smuggled back into Sudan and resold.

Al-Junaid Company for Roads, Bridges and Engineering Works

Personally owned by Himedti, alongside partners, this company has built the Western Inqadh Road, which is the only road directly linking Khartoum and Darfur, as well as some internal roads in Kordofan, Darfur and other cities in Sudan’s peripheries. Al-Junaid also has an Iron and Steel Company.