Janjaweed
Britishnoun
Etymology
Origin of Janjaweed
Arabic: a man with a horse and a gun
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The RSF, formerly known as the Janjaweed, emerged in the early 2000s as an auxiliary militia in Darfur and later evolved into a powerful, independently commanded force.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025
The Janjaweed were folded into the RSF, getting new uniforms, vehicles and weapons - and also officers from the regular army who were brought in to help with the upgrade.
From BBC • Nov. 3, 2025
Former President Omar al-Bashir later formed the RSF out of Janjaweed fighters and put it under the command of Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, who hails from Darfur’s Arab Rizeigat tribe.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 27, 2023
In April, the ICC opened its first trial dealing with Darfur crimes in the case of alleged Janjaweed leader Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman.
From Reuters • Jul. 13, 2023
Chad has a history of clashing with the precursor to the RSF — pro-government Sudanese Arab militias known as the Janjaweed.
From Washington Post • Apr. 28, 2023
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
