Abdul Rahim Dagalo

Dagalo was born on 1 January 1972.{{cite web |title=Sanctions List Search |url=https://sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov/Details.aspx?id=44807 |website=sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov}}{{NoteTag|Many Sudanese citizens born before 2000 might not have birth certificates, especially those from rural areas where such documents were unavailable at the time. To address this, individuals can get a confirmation from the Birth Registry stating that their birth is not recorded. They can then present this confirmation to the health commission to receive a substitute health document, which will indicate their age but not their place of birth. Typically, this document lists the date of birth as 1 January, with the estimated birth year,{{Cite web |title=Sudan: Knowledge Base profile |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sudan-knowledge-base-profile/sudan-knowledge-base-profile#:~:text=A%20person%20who%20does%20not,to%20show%20the%20persons%20age. |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Refugees |first=United Nations High Commissioner for |title=Sudan: Information on the various identity documents in Sudan and the names of the agencies that issue them |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/469cd6bea.html |access-date=2023-04-16 |website=Refworld |language=en}} e.g., Jaafar Nimeiry, Abdalla Hamdok, Omar al-Bashir, and Abdin Mohamed Ali Salih.}} According to Al Jazeera Arabic, Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo was born in South Darfur. Yet, according to the BBC,{{Cite news |date=2019-06-05 |title=Hemedti - the warlord who may control Sudan's future |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48512465 |access-date=2024-03-19 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} The Guardian and Al Jazeera English,{{Cite web |title=Who are Sudan's RSF and their commander Hemedti? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/6/6/who-are-sudans-rsf-and-their-commander-hemeti |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}} the Dagalo family are from Chad and migrated to Sudan in the 1980s, to escape from war and drought. Abdelrahim hails from the Mahamid clan of the Arab Bedouin Rizeigat tribe, known for trade and herding.{{Cite web |title=طالته أولى العقوبات الأميركية بعد اندلاع الحرب.. عبد الرحيم دقلو نائب قائد قوات الدعم السريع |url=https://www.aljazeera.net/encyclopedia/2023/9/17/%d8%b9%d8%a8%d8%af-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d8%ad%d9%8a%d9%85-%d8%af%d9%82%d9%84%d9%88-%d9%86%d8%a7%d8%a6%d8%a8-%d9%82%d8%a7%d8%a6%d8%af-%d9%82%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%af%d8%b9%d9%85 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=www.aljazeera.net |language=ar}} He is the brother of Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, the commander of Rapid Support Forces (RSF).{{Cite web |last=Mai |first=H.J. |date=2023-09-06 |title=U.S. imposes sanctions on Sudanese paramilitary leader; boosts humanitarian aid |website=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/09/06/1197838608/u-s-imposes-sanctions-on-sudanese-paramilitary-leader-boosts-humanitarian-aid}}

Abdelrahim initially served in the border guards, composed mainly of Arab tribes, used by the former President Omar al-Bashir's regime in the Darfur conflict. He rose to the rank of first sergeant and later became a colonel when the RSF was established in 2013.

Parallel to his military career, the Dagalo family engaged in extensive commercial activities, founding mining and gold prospecting firms, notably Al-Junaid Company, with operations spanning Khartoum, Darfur, and other locations in Sudan.{{Cite web |last=النحاس |first=محمد |date=2023-04-23 |title=عبدالرحيم دقلو.. ماذا تعرف عن القائد الثاني لقوات الدعم السريع بالسودان؟ |url=https://roayahnews.com/%d9%86%d9%81%d9%88%d8%b0-%d9%88%d8%ab%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%a1-%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%aa%d9%87%d8%a7%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%b0%d8%a7-%d9%86%d8%b9%d8%b1%d9%81-%d8%b9%d9%86-%d8%b9%d8%a8%d8%af%d8%a7%d9%84/ |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=شبكة رؤية الإخبارية |language=ar}}

Abdelrahim's political influence grew after becoming the deputy leader of the RSF in 2018.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-07 |title=Sudan's RSF deputy leader says US sanctions on him 'unfair' |url=https://arab.news/4y9g2 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Arab News |language=en}} He built strong relationships within the Bashir regime, particularly with security leaders, enhancing the RSF's authority. During the 2018 protests, Abdelrahim initially played a role in protecting demonstrators and contributed to the downfall of the Bashir regime, but he is accused of ordering the Khartoum massacre at the General Command sit-in in June 2019.{{Cite web |title=قصص الذهب واتهامات "الاعتصام".. من هو عبد الرحيم دقلو الذي عاقبته واشنطن؟ {{!}} الحرة |url=https://www.alhurra.com/sudan/2023/09/06/%D9%82%D8%B5%D8%B5-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B0%D9%87%D8%A8-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%87%D9%88-%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%AF%D9%82%D9%84%D9%88-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%AA%D9%87-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B4%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%86%D8%9F |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=www.alhurra.com |language=ar}}

The conflict emerged four years after the ousting of President Omar Al-Bashir, stemming from tensions between the army and RSF, which jointly staged a coup in 2021. Sudan's military ruler, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, issued a decree to dissolve the RSF, a move contested by Hemedti. After the RSF clashed with the Sudanese army in April 2023, Abdelrahim's videos circulated, confirming his leadership role. He left Sudan, traveling through Darfur, Chad, and Kenya.

In September 2023, Abdelrahim Dagalo has faced international sanctions due to his alleged connection to human rights abuses and other war crimes during war in Sudan.{{Cite web |last=BLINKEN |first=ANTONY J. |date=2023-09-06 |title=Actions Against Senior Rapid Support Forces Commanders in Sudan |url=https://www.state.gov/actions-against-senior-rapid-support-forces-commanders-in-sudan/ |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=United States Department of State |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-09-06 |title=Treasury Sanctions Sudanese Paramilitary Leader |url=https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1712 |website=U.S. Department of the Treasury}} The sanctions against Dagalo come amid ongoing conflict between the RSF and Sudan's army, particularly in West Darfur, where the RSF and allied militias are accused of violence.{{Citation |title=من هو عبد الرحيم حمدان دقلو ؟ |url=https://www.skynewsarabia.com/video/1651139-%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AF%D9%82%D9%84%D9%88-%D8%9F |access-date=2023-09-30 |language=ar}} These sanctions are primarily in response to alleged human rights abuses associated with Abdelrahim Dagalo and his role in the RSF, as well as his connection to businesses, such as a gold mining company, which have also faced sanctions. These sanctions followed a decision by Sudan's leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, to dissolve the RSF, revoke its independence, and allow legal prosecution for its members.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-06 |title=عقوبات أميركية والبرهان يصدر مرسوما دستوريا بحل قوات الدعم السريع |url=https://www.independentarabia.com/node/493041/%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A9/%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B1/%D8%B9%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A7-%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%AD%D9%84-%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%B9%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B9 |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=اندبندنت عربية |language=ar}}

Dagalo stated that the sanctions were unfair and lacked a clear investigation.{{Cite web |title=حصري لسكاي نيوز عربية.. عبد الرحيم دقلو يرد على العقوبات الأميركية |url=https://www.skynewsarabia.com/middle-east/1651060-%D8%AD%D8%B5%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%8A-%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%B2-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%AF%D9%82%D9%84%D9%88-%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D9%82%D9%88%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=سكاي نيوز عربية |language=ar}} US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, defended the sanctions, emphasising the need for justice and accountability for atrocities committed against the Sudanese people.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-06 |title=US sanctions deputy leader of Sudan's RSF over abuses |url=https://arab.news/j2zfg |access-date=2023-09-30 |website=Arab News |language=en}}

Dagalo also claimed that the RSF had acquired significant stores of weapons and supplies that could last for two decades. Meanwhile, Sudan faces a humanitarian crisis, with millions of people in need of assistance, and a large number of refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries, including Chad, Central African Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. The United Nations has appealed for substantial funding to address the humanitarian needs in Sudan, but it has only secured a fraction of the required amount to date.

On 2 April 2025, Dagalo threatened that the RSF would launch an invasion of states in Northern Sudan after recent defeats in east of the country.{{cite web |title=RSF deputy leader threatens to invade northern Sudan states |url=https://sudantribune.com/article299288/ |website=Sudan Tribune |date=2 April 2025}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Sudanese generals

Category:People of the Sudanese civil war (2023–present)

Category:Sudanese people of Chadian descent

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List

Category:Individuals sanctioned by the United States Department of State

Category:1972 births

Category:21st-century military personnel

Category:War in Darfur