This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards. (May 2022) |
Musa Hilal | |
---|---|
موسى هلال | |
Born | 1961 (age 62–63)[1] |
Political party | Janjaweed, National Congress Party (until 2014), Sudanese Awakening Revolutionary Council (2014–present)[2] |
Children | Amani Musa Hilal |
Musa Hilal (Arabic: موسى هلال, romanized: Mūsa Hilāl) is a Sudanese Arab tribal chief and militia leader and adviser to the Sudanese Minister of Internal Affairs.[3] His Um Jalul clan exercised tribal leadership of the Arab Mahamid tribe in Darfur.[1] The Mahamid are part of a larger confederation of camel-herding (Abbala) tribes of the Northern Rizeigat.[4] Musa is the leader of the Janjaweed militia, which was responsible for a massive military campaign against civilians in Darfur in 2003, as part of a counterinsurgency effort against Darfur rebel groups. On 21 January 2008, the Federal Government of Sudan announced the nomination of Musa Hilal as the chief advisor of the Ministry of Federal Affairs in Sudan. This position allows Mr. Musa to coordinate with regional leaders surrounding Darfur, as well as with Arab tribal groups, on the relations of the military regime.[5]
This political position further permits the military leader power over decisions made in Khartoum pertaining the recruitment of Janjaweed militias.[5] In January 2014 Musa defected from Sudan's ruling National Congress Party, and launched a new movement known as the Sudanese Awakening Revolutionary Council.[6] As of late March 2014 Musa was running his own administration in North Darfur, with his troops controlling Saraf Umra town, Kutum town, Kabkabiya town, and the El Waha area.[7]
He was arrested in November 2017.[8] By the time Sudanese President and National Congress Party leader Omar al-Bashir was deposed April 2019, it was reported that Musa still remained in prison.[9]
On 11 March 2021, Musa Hilal was released after receiving a pardon granted by the Sovereign Council, the institution responsible for the transition in Sudan. Musa Hilal remains under UN sanctions and is accused of serious crimes in Darfur.