Hamid Dawai

Who is Hamid Dawai?

Hamid Dawai is an Emir of the Arab Beni Halba tribe and a member of the Janjaweed militia in the far Western region of Darfur along the border with Chad. He has been linked to the civilian deaths of 460 people and has been described as a war criminal for his crimes in the Darfur conflict, which are claimed to involve genocide, rape, and torture. Dawai's brother; Hasballa Dawai, was killed when he was stabbed in the neck with a spear by an African villager when forces under Dawai's command attacked a village in July 2002. Because of his role in the Darfur conflict, Dawai has become well known amongst Masalit refugees.