A horrific gang rape incident in Sudan has left victims, including a disabled four-year-old boy, facing unimaginable trauma. The attack took place shortly after the outbreak of civil war in 2023, with reports indicating a surge in sexual violence attributed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group previously associated with the Sudanese government.
The assault occurred in the early hours of the morning in South Kordofan, where approximately 35 RSF militants invaded the rural village of Habila. Survivors recount a chilling experience, as Najwa, a mother who spoke to the Telegraph under a pseudonym, described how she attempted to shield her children from the violence. She was in a vehicle with seven of her eight children when the soldiers surrounded them, forcibly removing her from the car.
Najwa was dragged to a clearing along with 14 other women, where RSF soldiers commanded them to disrobe and lie face down. “If somebody wants to talk, we will kill you,” the soldiers threatened. In a horrifying display of brutality, groups of soldiers took turns raping the women, including Najwa, who stated that three different soldiers assaulted her.
The attack escalated when a soldier abducted Najwa’s son, Emmanuel, who suffers from a birth defect that affects his mobility. After witnessing the assault on his mother, Emmanuel climbed out of the car, only to be taken to the same area where Najwa was attacked. “They raped him from behind,” she recounted, describing the anguish as he cried out in pain while being beaten and threatened.
Following the assaults, the RSF soldiers retreated, leaving behind traumatized victims. In addition to Emmanuel, three other girls aged 11, eight, and seven were also raped. The ongoing conflict in Sudan has led to over 150,000 deaths and displaced approximately 12 million people, as the United Nations labels the situation as the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”
The UN has characterized the actions of the RSF as war crimes, highlighting a “staggering scale” of sexual violence in the region. “Men and boys were not spared,” noted investigators from the United Nations Independent Fact-Finding Mission, despite the lower reported cases for male victims. Seif Magango, spokesperson for the UN Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, confirmed that the scale of rapes has increased significantly since the conflict’s onset.
Some women in areas controlled by the RSF have reported being raped as a form of punishment for their communities’ affiliations with the Sudanese Armed Forces. Allegations have emerged that RSF commanders have coerced women into becoming pregnant to create future fighters for their cause.
In the wake of these atrocities, reports indicate that numerous women have taken their own lives in the Gezira state following rape incidents. In certain regions, women have formed suicide pacts to avoid the horrors they associate with impending RSF attacks.
The ongoing violence and its devastating impact on the population continue to draw international condemnation, as the situation in Sudan remains critical and urgent. The international community faces mounting pressure to address these egregious human rights violations and provide aid to the millions affected by this brutal conflict.
