The Janjaweed are a Sudanese Arab nomadic militia group best known for their role in the Darfur conflict, especially from 2003 onward. Janjaweed fighters are primarily recruited from Arab tribes in Darfur, including camel and cattle herding groups like the Rizeigat. The name “Janjaweed,” possibly meaning “devils/spirits on horseback,” is associated with horse- or camel-mounted raiders who targeted non-Arab, sedentary communities in the region.
During the Darfur war, the Janjaweed were armed and supported by the Sudanese government to suppress rebel groups. They became infamous for systematic violence against civilians, including mass killings, rapes, and village destruction—acts viewed by many as ethnic cleansing. Between 2003 and 2008, hundreds of thousands were killed and millions displaced by their attacks. In later years, many Janjaweed fighters were incorporated into the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary organization now led by Hemedti.
