Janjaweed

Janjaweed جنجويد
Leader	Multiple leaders, including Musa Hilal and Hemedti
Dates of operation	1987–present[1][2]
Active regions	Sudan  Chad  Yemen  Libya
Status	Active
Size	Unknown (less than 25,000 est.)
Opponents	NCP (The Islamic brotherhood party in Sudan)
Preceded by Islamic Legion/Arab Gathering Succeeded by Sudanese Armed Forces[3] (de jure) Rapid Support Forces[4] (de facto)

The Janjaweed (Arabic: جَنْجَويد, romanized: Janjawīd; also transliterated Janjawid^[5]) are an Arab nomad militia group from the Sahel region^[6] that operates in Sudan, particularly in Darfur, and eastern Chad.^[7] They have also been speculated to be active in Yemen.^[8] According to the United Nations definition, Janjaweed membership consists of Arab nomad tribes from the Sahel, the core of whom are from the 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.^[9][10] In 2013, the Rapid Support Forces grew out of the Janjaweed.^[11]