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Women displaced by the fighting in el Gezira state pictured on December 30, 2023 (AFP Photo)
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PORT SUDAN – Sudan accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Sunday of committing at least 500 rapes and other abuses, including sexual slavery, against women and girls since the conflict began in April.
In a statement issued on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Sudan’s foreign ministry reported that “official authorities and relevant organizations” had documented the crimes. The ministry added that the actual number of victims is likely much higher.
The statement alleged that the RSF had failed to conduct credible investigations into these abuses, which also included genocide, forced displacement, and attacks on civilians. “The militia uses rape as a weapon of war to force citizens to evacuate their villages and homes, to settle its mercenaries, and to punish communities that reject its presence,” the statement read.
The ministry further accused the RSF of kidnapping hundreds of women and subjecting them to sexual exploitation and forced domestic labor. It claimed that girls were being trafficked within Sudan and to other countries. The RSF did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Sudan Tribune was unable to independently verify the ministry’s allegations.
Widespread conflict and atrocities
The conflict between the RSF and Sudan’s army, which began on April 15, has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions. While both sides have been accused of atrocities, the RSF has faced widespread documentation of abuses against civilians.
Sudan’s foreign ministry called on the international community to take action against the RSF and its supporters, accusing them of providing military, financial, and political backing.
“The countries and groups supporting the militia… are partners in these crimes,” the statement declared.
Complaints against regional backers
Sudan has lodged a complaint with the U.N. Security Council against the United Arab Emirates, accusing it of supplying the RSF with weapons, mercenaries, and funding through Chad. A similar complaint has also been filed against Chad before the African Union.
