Mnangagwa (pictured with Mugabe), 75, has had a long and varied political career, leading at one point the justice, defence, housing and finance ministries as well as being the speaker of the lower house and spymaster

The man believed to be behind the coup in Zimbabwe is the country's recently sacked vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa - also known as 'The Crocodile'.

Mnangagwa, 75, is a notorious and much-feared figure in Zimbabwe, having led a vicious crackdown on opponents in the 1980s with the help of the dreaded North Korean-trained Fifth Army brigade.

Thousands of civilians were killed during the Gukurahundi campaign, but Mnangagwa has always denied involvement.

His reputation for cruelty is so legendary that he was one of the few leaders of Zimbabwe known to drive around the country without security.

He is also known for his unpredictable darting eyes and is understood to be a Chelsea supporter due to his admiration of the club's former striker Didier Drogba.

He has had a long and varied political career, leading at one point the justice, defence, housing and finance ministries as well as being the speaker of the lower house and a spymaster.

Mnangagwa was widely viewed as Mugabe's successor until he was ditched by the president last week and fled to South Africa.

Mugabe had accused his former deputy of plotting to take power from him, while his ambitious wife Grace referred to him as a snake that 'must be hit on the head' after the two clashed.

In 1983, Mnangagwa led a major crackdown in Matabeleland, in the southwest of Zimbabwe. Tens of thousands of people were killed. Pictured: Bodies found in Matabeleland after the massacre

Zimbabweans sitting in front of Salibury prison (where Mugabe and Mnangagwa met and forged their political alliance) in 1968 after the triple hanging of James Dhlamini, Victor Mlambo and Duly Shadrack, was ordered by Ian Smith's government - despite Queen Elizabeth II issuing a royal reprieve

Mnangagwa was mentioned by, among others, the tycoon Roland Rowland at the time of the Gukurahundi massacres. Pictured: Mugabe (centre) and Mnangagwa (right) together

Mnangagwa's reputation for cruelty is so legendary that he was one of the few leaders of Zimbabwe known to drive around the country without security. Pictured: The former vice president claps after being presented with a fake crocodile as homage to his nickname

He is a leader of the so-called 'Lacoste' faction - named after the clothes firm's crocodile logo, which matches Mnangagwa's reptilian nickname - within Mugabe's party. The group enjoys strong support among military figures. Pictured: Mugabe with Mnangagwa

Mnangagwa was sentenced to ten years in jail, being kept at Salisbury Prison, Grey Prison, Khami Prison and Harare Prison. While imprisoned in Salisbury (later renamed Harare), he became close to Mugabe and other nationalist leaders. Pictured: Mnangagwa with Mugabe and Josiah Tongogara, a guerrilla commander

Mugabe had accused his former deputy of plotting to take power from him, while his ambitious wife Grace referred to him as a snake that 'must be hit on the head' after the two clashed. Pictured right: Mnangagwa with Mugabe in 2004

University of London-educated Mnangagwa has been close to Mugabe since the two were involved in the struggle against racist white-minority rule in then-Rhodesia. Pictured: Mnangagwa (right) being sworn in as vice president by Mugabe (left) in 2014

He earned his 'Crocodile' nickname when he returned to Zimbabwe and led a gang of fighters called the 'Crocodile Group' during the civil war. Pictured: Mnangagwa in 2016

First Lady: Grace Mugabe, 52, pictured with her husband, has been seen as being a successor to her husband after her opponent was fired. With the events of last night, the struggle between Grace and Mnangagwa to succeed 93-year-old Mugabe appears to be shifting in the Crocodile's favour

But Mnangagwa, who recently survived a poisoning attempt blamed on ice-cream from Mugabe's own dairy, has been telling allies he would return rapidly and everything would soon be 'sorted'.

He is a leader of the so-called 'Lacoste' faction - named after the clothes firm's crocodile logo, which matches Mnangagwa's reptilian nickname - within Mugabe's party. The group enjoys strong support among military figures.

It is locked in a struggle with Grace's G40 group.

Gukurahundi atrocities of the 1980s After Mugabe won the election of 1980 and became Zimbabwe's first prime minister, there were fears a potential takeover of the country by the Ndebele ethnic minority may be afoot. In 1983, Mnangagwa led a major crackdown in Matabeleland, in the southwest of Zimbabwe. Matabeleland was the stronghold of Mugabe's political rival, Joshua Nkomo. Mugabe blamed members of Nkomo's party for a series of murders and attacks on property in the country. During the operation between 1983 and 87 - later known as the Gukurahundi (or 'the early rain which washes away the before the spring rains') - tens of thousands of civilians were killed. The agreement between North Korea and Mugabe for the training of the Fifth Brigade was signed in October 1980, when the Zimbabwean prime minister met with Kim Il Sung. Pictured: The Fifth Brigade in 1982 at Independence Day celebrations in Salisbury. The banner overhead reads: 'Let Us Lay Down Our Lives for Cde. R.G. Mugahe' The North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade was responsible for the atrocities, which also included the torture and rape of tens of thousands of in Matabeleland. Showing that they had learned from their Communist teachers, the Fifth Brigade troops summarily detained and executed Ndebele men of fighting age, who were automatically deemed guilty of subversion. Many were also marched to re-education camps, a popular tactic employed by Stalinist North Korea as well as Communist China. The North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade (pictured training in 1984) was responsible for the atrocities, which also included the torture and rape of tens of thousands of in Matabeleland On one occasion, in March of 1983, the Fifth Brigade slaughtered 55 people - apparently at random - on the banks of the Cewale River. The soldiers reportedly forced their victims to dig their own graves before being shot. The agreement between North Korea and Mugabe for the training of the Fifth Brigade was signed in October 1980, when the Zimbabwean prime minister met with Kim Il Sung. Over a hundred North Koreans arrived a year later to train the elite troops. The agreement between North Korea and Mugabe for the training of the Fifth Brigade was signed in October 1980, when the Zimbabwean prime minister met with Kim Il Sung. Pictured: The two dictators meeting in 1993 But by 1988, the reputation of the brigade - whose soldiers were identifiable by their distinctive red berets - was deemed so toxic that it was disbanded. None of the perpetrators of the atrocities has ever been brought to justice, with those implicated including Mugabe and Mnangagwa. Mnangagwa was mentioned by, among others, the tycoon Roland Rowland at the time of the massacres. He wrote to the US ambassador that Mnangagwa, as security minister, was 'fully aware' of the slaughter going on in the country's south. Advertisement

With the events of today, the struggle between Grace and Mnangagwa to succeed 93-year-old Mugabe appears to be shifting in the Crocodile's favour.

Born in the southwestern Zvishavana district on September 15, 1942, he completed his early education in Zimbabwe before his family relocated to neighbouring Zambia.

His grandfather was a traditional leader and his father a political agitator for the repeal of colonial laws that disadvantaged blacks.

In 1966, Mnangagwa joined the struggle for independence from Britain, becoming one of the young combatants who helped direct the war after undergoing training in China and Egypt.

University of London-educated Mnangagwa has been close to Mugabe since the two were side-by-side in the struggle against racist white-minority rule in then-Rhodesia.

Not long after ZANU-PF, modern Zimbabwe's ruling party, was formed in 1963 Mnangagwa was sent for military training in Communist China.

He earned his 'Crocodile' nickname when he returned to Zimbabwe and led a gang of fighters called the 'Crocodile Group' during the civil war.

The gang blew up several trains during their operations against the Rhodesian government and, as a consequence, Mnangagwa was arrested in 1965.

He confessed to revolutionary activity and was savagely tortured, but escaped the death penalty after successfully arguing that, because he was under 21, he should not be executed.

Instead, he was sentenced to ten years in jail, being kept at Salisbury Prison, Grey Prison, Khami Prison and Harare Prison.

Members of the black nationalist guerrillas of the Zimbabwe African Liberation Army (ZALA), led by Robert Mugabe, stage a rally on February 6, 1980

Pictured: Opponents of white rule demonstrate at a rally in Zimbabwe in 1980, the same year Robert Mugabe won power and became prime minister

While imprisoned in Salisbury (later renamed Harare), he became close to Mugabe and other nationalist leaders.

After being deported to Zambia, Mnangagwa studied law and - in the late 1970s - became a senior member of ZANU-PF.

When Zimbabwe became independent in 1980, Mnangagwa was named as Prime Minister Mugabe's national security chief.

Seven years later, when Mugabe made himself president, Mnangagwa was made justice minister.

His loyalty to Mugabe was rewarded in 2000 when, having lost his seat in parliament, he was appointed to an unelected seat and made speaker of the lower house

He is a notorious and much-feared figure in Zimbabwe, having led a vicious crackdown on opponents in the 1980s with the help of the dreaded North Korean-trained Fifth Army brigade. Pictured: Mnangagwa with his wife Auxilia in January

Military vehicles were seen patrolling the streets of the capital Harare today after it emerged that Mugabe and his family had been arrested

Overnight, at least three explosions were heard in the capital, Harare, and military vehicles were seen in the streets

This was the scene in the centre of Harare in Zimbabwe this morning as soldiers patrolled the streets after a 'bloodless transition' of power

Checkpoint: Tanks were scene on the streets of Harare this morning after it emerged that the president, Robert Mugabe, had been detained

His loyalty to Mugabe was rewarded in 2000 when, having lost his seat in parliament, he was appointed to an unelected seat and made speaker of the lower house.

Mnangagwa repaid Mugabe for his support during the 2008 elections, with the Crocodile said to have steered the president to victory after Morgan Tsvangirai won the first round.

Hundreds of Tsvangirai's supporters were killed in the political violence blamed on Mugabe's regime, forcing Tsvangirai to step aside and giving Mugabe a clear run at the presidency.

Mnangagwa was then made defence minister and, in 2013, vice president.

He once remarked that he had been taught to 'destroy and kill' - although he later claimed to be a born-again Christian.

Takavafira Zhou, a political analyst at Masvingo State University, previously described Mnangagwa as 'a hardliner to the core'.

Mnangagwa reputedly has deep pockets should he decide to launch a political comeback.

Tensions over the succession of Mugabe, recently erupted into the open, and had pitched First Lady Grace Mugabe against now-sacked Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa

A US diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks in 2008 claimed Mnangagwa had amassed 'extraordinary wealth' during Zimbabwe's 1998 intervention in gold- and diamond-rich Democratic Republic of Congo.

He appeared to be on course to become the country's next leader, but First Lady Grace Mugabe did not approve,

Last month she warned of a possible coup being orchestrated by Vice President Mnangagwa amid a heated power struggle.

She claimed his allies were threatening to kill people who did not support his bid to succeed Mugabe.

Grace recently told supporters: 'In 1980 this person called Mnangagwa wanted to stage a coup. He wanted to wrestle power from the president.

'He was conspiring with whites. That man is a ravisher.'