Sudan Events – Reports
On Sunday, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the documentation of 500 cases of rape and other abuses, including sexual enslavement, committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against women and girls.
In a statement marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the ministry revealed that “official bodies and specialized organizations have documented at least 500 cases of rape in areas invaded by the RSF.”
The ministry noted that the actual number of victims might be higher, as some cases remain unreported or are still within RSF-controlled areas.
The statement accused the RSF of kidnapping and detaining hundreds of women as hostages, exploiting them sexually, and forcing them into domestic servitude. Reports also indicate that girls have been trafficked outside their communities and even across Sudan’s borders for exploitation.
It added, “The militia uses rape as a weapon of war to force citizens to evacuate their villages and homes, allowing the settlement of its mercenaries and punishing communities that resist its presence.”
The statement also highlighted that the RSF engages in acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing targeting specific ethnic groups, “killing men and raping women and girls with the aim of producing children who can be assimilated into the tribes of RSF members.”
The ministry called on the international community to acknowledge these widespread atrocities committed by the RSF, including rape, abduction, sexual enslavement, trafficking, and forced marriages.
It expressed frustration over the lack of international response, describing these acts as “some of the worst forms of violence against women in the world today.”
The ministry criticized countries and groups supporting the RSF for providing “military, financial, political, and media backing,” holding them complicit in these crimes. It also condemned RSF propagandists operating from Western and African capitals, who justify and promote such violations.
