Crimes of Rape Committed by Militia Members: Horrific Stories from Khartoum

The dark files of the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia are countless, but the darkest of them all are the crimes of rape against Sudanese women and girls, including minors, some as young as five years old. While this might seem unbelievable to some, it is, unfortunately, a harsh reality attested to by the victims’ families and witnesses. Investigative journalism has uncovered cases of systematic rapes committed by the militia in cities and villages under their control—not random or for mere pleasure, but deliberate actions serving specific objectives aimed at demographic changes in certain areas.

The Massacre of Bait Al-Mal

The black file of rape crimes committed by the RSF militia in Omdurman contains many cases, but the most tragic among them is the rape of dozens of university students who were abducted and detained for months in the house of leader Ismail Al-Azhari in Bait Al-Mal district. A survivor of this heinous crime, who managed to escape, revealed to “Sudanese Echoes” painful and shocking details of the “Bait Al-Mal massacre.” The student (referred to as M) narrates:

“When the RSF militia attacked Khartoum, we were a large group of female students residing in Ali Abdel Fattah University Residence in Omdurman, opposite the Midwives Hospital. Suddenly, militia soldiers stormed the premises, assaulted the guards, and entered the students’ rooms, selecting about 20 girls, including myself. I noticed they chose girls with lighter skin tones and forced them at gunpoint into their combat vehicles. They locked us in rooms in Al-Azhari’s house to prevent us from escaping.

At night, we could hear their conversations and laughter while they drank alcohol. After sunset, a group of them entered, taking five of us. Shortly after, we heard the screams of the girls and realized they were being raped. Terror and fear overwhelmed us, knowing our turn was coming. Later, they returned for seven more girls, who suffered the same fate. When they came back, they were in a state of distress, some in hysteria. It was clear that some had been beaten, as they bore visible bruises on their faces.

The process continued until all 20 girls had been raped. In the following days, the same pattern was repeated, with the girls being exchanged among the militia members, subjecting us to mass rape. During the day, they forced us to cook and wash their clothes, which reeked of unbearable stench. They brought three sheep daily, ordering us to prepare the meat for grilling while discarding the remains, like heads and offal, outside the house. At night, the cycle of drinking, drugs, and mass rape resumed.

We spent about a week in Al-Azhari’s house. One evening, a clash occurred between the militia and the army near the house, causing panic among the militia members. They became distracted, exchanging gunfire with the army. Seizing the opportunity, I escaped and surrendered myself to the nearest army checkpoint, informing them of what was happening to the university students inside Al-Azhari’s house. Escaping was a grave risk, as they had warned us that any girl caught trying to flee would be executed in front of the others. Despite the threat, I dared to escape, and thank God, I survived. What happened to me and my fellow students left us with psychological scars that may never heal. May God avenge them; they have completely destroyed our lives.”

What the eyewitness didn’t mention is that some of the girls detained in Al-Azhari’s house became pregnant after the rapes. Those discovered to be pregnant were forcibly relocated to militia-controlled areas to give birth. One survivor recounted how the rapist told her she would remain with his family in a remote village until she gave birth, after which he would decide whether to kill her or release her. After giving birth, she was released with the help of a kind man who helped her return to Omdurman.

Reports indicate that hundreds of young girls were abducted from Khartoum at the start of the war and transported to militia-controlled areas, where they were exploited sexually under the guise of forced marriage. Some were even sold into slavery in markets in Chad.

An activist combating gender-based violence stated that the militia uses rape as a weapon of war to force residents out of their towns and villages, making way for the settlement of their mercenaries. Additionally, their goal includes impregnating abducted girls to incorporate their children into the tribes affiliated with the militia.