The United Nations has reported an alarming rise in sexual violence across Sudan, describing it as “rampant” since the civil war erupted 18 months ago. An investigation published on Tuesday found that most documented cases of rape have been attributed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Retired Chief Justice Mohamed Chande Othman, head of the independent fact-finding mission, remarked on the “staggering” extent of sexual violence recorded in Sudan. Children are among the victims, with reports of women and girls being kidnapped and forced into sexual slavery. “There is no safe place in Sudan now,” Othman emphasised.
The Human Rights Council established this mission late last year to track violations since April 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Army, led by Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the RSF under Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres informed the Security Council on Monday that humanitarian needs are escalating, with nearly 25 million people now in urgent need of assistance as the conflict drags on.