[10] They also have a common traditional mode of subsistence, nomadic cattle herding, although nowadays many lead a settled existence.

For much of the 20th century, this language was known to academics as "Shuwa Arabic", but "Shuwa" is a geographically and socially parochial term that has fallen into disuse among linguists specializing in the language, who instead refer to it as "Chadian Arabic" depending on the origin of the native speakers being consulted for a given academic project.

[13] The name of one of the major Baggara tribes is shared with an important sub-tribe of the Judham Arabs, the Beni Halba.

[14] Braukamper dates the formation of the Baggara culture to the 17th century in Wadai, between Bornu and Darfur, where Arabs, who were camel-herders, met the cattle-rearing Fula people migrating east, and out of this contact arose what Braukämper has coined an Arabic baggaara (cattle-herders') culture which today extends from western Sudan (Kordofan and Darfur) into Nigeria (Borno).

[17] The Messiria, one of the largest and most important tribes of the Baggara Arabs are found in Chad, Darfur and Kordofan in Sudan.

[18] The bulk of the Messiria reside in East Kordofan and Chad with a comparatively smaller population in Darfur.

The largest and the tribe most synonymous with the term Abbala are the Northern Rizeigat, which consists of 5 sections; the Mahamid, Mahariyya, Nuwaiba, Irayqat and Atayfat.

As a result, the four largest Baggara tribes of Darfur—the Rizeigat, Habbaniya, Beni Halba and Ta’isha—have been only marginally involved in the Darfur conflict.

They formed frontline units as well as Muraheleen, mounted raiders that attacked southern villages to loot valuables and slaves.

The Sudanese government promoted attacks by promising the Baggara people no interference so they could seize animals and land.

[23] During the Second Sudanese Civil War thousands of Dinka women and children were abducted and subsequently enslaved by members of the Missiriya and Rezeigat tribes.