Janjaweed
| Janjaweed جنجويد | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Multiple leaders, including Musa Hilal, Ali Kushayb, and Hemedti |
| Dates of operation | 1987–present |
| Active regions | Sudan Chad Yemen Libya |
| Ideology | Arab tribalism Arab supremacy |
| Status | Active |
| Size | Unknown (less than 25,000 est.) |
| Part of | Sudanese Armed Forces (de jure, until 2023) |
| Opponents | Sudanese Armed Forces (partially, from April 2023) Supreme Political Council Government of National Accord Sudan Liberation Movement/Army Fur people Masalit people Zaghawa people |
| Battles and wars | |
The Janjaweed (Arabic: جَنْجَويد, romanized: Janjawīd, lit. 'Devils on horseback') are an Arab nomad militia group operating in the Sahel region, specifically in Sudan, particularly in Darfur and eastern Chad. They have also been speculated to be active in Yemen. According to the United Nations definition, Janjaweed membership consists of Arab nomad tribes from the Sahel, the core of whom are Abbala Arabs, traditionally employed in camel herding, with significant recruitment from the Baggara.
Janjaweed nomads were initially at odds with Darfur's sedentary population due to competition over natural grazing grounds and farmland, a conflict exacerbated by dwindling rainfall and drought. The Janjaweed were a major player in the Darfur conflict between 2003 and 2020, in opposition to the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and the Justice and Equality Movement rebels. In 2013, the Rapid Support Forces grew out of the Janjaweed.