Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a new report accusing Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of widespread sexual violence in South Kordofan since September 2023, constituting war crimes and potential crimes against humanity. The report highlights testimonies from almost 80 women and girls, aged 7 to 50, who were raped by RSF fighters or allied militias. Many of the assaults took place at an RSF military base in Dibeibat, near Habila, where survivors described being gang-raped in front of their families and held as sex slaves for extended periods. These horrific abuses reflect the brutal tactics used by both sides in the ongoing civil war.
HRW’s investigation collected detailed accounts from 79 survivors who spoke of violent assaults by uniformed RSF soldiers. Many of the survivors were held captive at the Dibeibat base, where they endured systematic abuse. The perpetrators often took multiple women at a time for repeated rapes, sometimes using whips or other means of torture to force compliance. Survivors also reported being confined in makeshift pens and chained up in groups, revealing the scale and systematic nature of the sexual violence.
HRW Accuses Sudan’s RSF of Widespread Sexual Violence in South Kordofan, Calling It War Crimes
One woman, identified as Hania, shared her traumatic experience of being abducted by RSF fighters in February 2024. She was pregnant at the time, and along with 17 other girls, was taken to the Dibeibat base. There, they were subjected to daily rapes by groups of three soldiers, with no escape or protection. Hania and other girls were kept in inhumane conditions, further exacerbating their suffering. Another survivor, Hasina, detailed how RSF fighters killed her husband, stole her cattle, and then repeatedly raped her over the course of a month. She eventually fled, but the damage to her physical and mental well-being was devastating.
Despite the grim testimonies, RSF officials, including senior adviser Ezzaddean Elsafi, have denied the accusations, claiming that those behind the attacks were impersonators and not actual RSF members. Elsafi stated that the RSF takes allegations of sexual violence seriously and would investigate, though he acknowledged the group’s presence near Dibeibat. HRW shared its findings with RSF’s commander, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, but did not receive a response, deepening concerns about the lack of accountability for these war crimes.
The broader context of Sudan’s civil war has compounded the crisis, with an estimated 30 million people in need of humanitarian aid as of 2024. The country is facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with millions suffering from hunger and displacement. International efforts to broker a peace deal have stalled, and fighting has intensified, making it difficult to address the human rights violations or provide aid to those in need. The sexual violence inflicted by the RSF is just one aspect of the ongoing atrocities that continue to ravage the country, with no clear resolution in sight.
