Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemedti”)

Force in Play

Controls much of western Sudan; has declared a rival government

Sudan's army and a rival paramilitary force have fought for three years. On June 8, the United States and seven allies threw their weight behind a new plan: get Sudanese civilians, not the two warring generals, to negotiate the country's future.

Updated Jun 8

Force in Play

Controls western Sudan including all of Darfur; faces genocide accusations over El Fasher

The United Nations reopened its Khartoum headquarters Thursday, nearly three years after staff fled when civil war broke out in April 2023. The Sudanese Armed Forces recaptured the capital in March 2025, and more than two million people have since returned.

Updated May 30

Force in Play

Leading RSF operations; controls most of Darfur and contested areas in Kordofan

Sudan's civil war has entered a new phase defined by drone strikes that hit markets, hospitals, and roads nearly every day. On March 26, two strikes killed at least 28 civilians—22 at a market in Saraf Omra, North Darfur when one hit a parked oil truck, and six along a road in Kordofan. The market strike ignited part of the market, and an infant was among the 22 dead.

Updated May 30

Force in Play

Controls Darfur and parts of Kordofan

Two of every five Sudanese now lack enough food. Three UN agencies said on May 15 that 19.5 million people across Sudan face crisis-level hunger after three years of war between the national army and a paramilitary force.

Updated May 15