A newly revealed investigation has uncovered a vast property portfolio in Dubai linked to the leaders of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group accused of genocide. The report from the Sentry, a US-based investigative organization, shows that family members and associates of RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti, have amassed over 20 luxury properties valued at £17.7 million in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Exposing a Paramilitary-Industrial Complex
The investigation paints a stark picture of a sprawling "paramilitary-industrial complex" that extends across Africa and the Middle East, centering on the RSF's leadership. The findings suggest that the UAE serves as a "safe haven" for Dagalo's family and their wealth, much of which is derived from gold extracted from Sudan. This illicit gold trade has flourished since Hemedti took control of Darfur's largest goldmine in 2017, which has allowed him and his family to accumulate substantial assets. Originally reported by The Guardian.
According to the Sentry, the network of firms operating out of the UAE has facilitated the transformation of smuggled gold into hard currency, with Dubai emerging as a key hub for precious metal trading, currently experiencing near-record prices. Nick Donovan, a senior investigator at the Sentry, emphasized, "In addition to arming the militia, the UAE allows the RSF to base part of its paramilitary-industrial complex in Dubai. Our investigation shows the Dagalo family has also found a safe haven for its wealth in the Emirates."
Humanitarian Crisis Amid Ongoing Conflict
The backdrop to this alarming Investigation Is Sudan's ongoing civil war, which has spiraled into one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. Nearly 33 million of Sudan's 50 million citizens are in urgent need of assistance, with at least 19 million suffering from acute hunger. The conflict pits the RSF against Sudan's armed forces, and the impact on the civilian population has been devastating.
The UAE's role in supporting the RSF has drawn international scrutiny. The Gulf state is accused of providing the militia with weapons and mercenaries, allegations that officials in the UAE have consistently denied. The Sentry's analysis of leaked real estate records further underscores the financial entanglements between the RSF and the UAE, revealing that properties held by companies linked to the RSF and Hemedti's family amount to approximately £7.4 million, with an additional £10.3 million in real estate owned by sanctioned individuals associated with the RSF.
Luxury Properties in Exclusive Communities
Among the acquisitions are opulent six-bedroom villas situated in a gated community near Dubai's Meydan racecourse, conveniently located near the city center. These villas were purchased by Prodigious Real Estate Management Supervision Services, a UAE-registered firm whose owner has connections to Dubai's gold trade and is under US sanctions for previously supplying funding and military equipment to the RSF.
Further digging into the data, including phone records and passport information, indicates that relatives of the Dagalo family have congregated within this exclusive community. Notably, Hemedti's wife acquired a plot of land worth £627,000 just six months into the ongoing conflict, situated in a luxury development near Dubai's Trump International Golf Club. The investigation also identified Mustafa Ibrahim Abdel Nabi Mohamed, a sanctioned individual serving as a financial adviser to the RSF, who reportedly owns an apartment worth £516,000 in the iconic Burj Khalifa.
Denials and Legal Proceedings
The Dagalo family has refrained from commenting on the ownership of specific properties but asserted that any acquisitions were conducted through legitimate means. They maintained that members have long engaged in lawful commercial activities, including livestock trading. Prodigious Real Estate Management has not responded to inquiries about its connections to the RSF, although its owner has previously declined to discuss his role in other sanctioned entities, citing ongoing legal proceedings.
In a related statement, Mohamed, purportedly a financial director linked to the RSF, insisted he does not serve as a financial adviser and claimed his activities have not hindered peace efforts in Sudan. Meanwhile, the UAE has categorically rejected claims of providing support to the RSF, including accusations of supplying weapons or training.
The RSF, under the command of Hemedti and his brothers Abdelrahim and Algoney, faces increasing scrutiny from international bodies. Recently, the UN described the RSF's actions in the western city of El Fasher as bearing the "hallmarks of genocide," while the US government has leveled similar accusations against the group. This troubling narrative of wealth accumulation amidst humanitarian disaster raises critical questions about the international community's response to the ongoing crisis.
Originally reported by The Guardian. View original.