By Fatou Bojang
A recent report from the Unit for Combating Violence against Women and Children detailed widespread violence, including sexual violence as a weapon against civilians, mass displacement, and allegations of genocide, highlighting the urgent need for international intervention and legal action.
As Sudan remains engulfed in a brutal conflict marked by severe human rights violations, international and regional efforts are intensifying to seek justice and accountability for the atrocities committed by rebel militias and armed forces.
The report revealed that since April 2023, at least 136 documented cases of sexual violence have occurred across various regions controlled by rebel militias.
These violations include rape, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy, forced marriage, and other forms of sexual violence used systematically to humiliate, displace, and terrorise civilians, particularly targeting women and girls of specific ethnic backgrounds.
“Survivors have been detained, forcibly recruited, and subjected to sexual slavery, with some girls forcibly deported to West Darfur, the psychological toll on these women and girls remains severe” the report stated.
According to the report’s witness testimonies, the rebel militia kidnapped approximately 80 girls, who were then transported to West Darfur, where some were sold or raped with the intent to alter the ethnic composition of the region.
“The militia has also engaged in forced pregnancies and attempted demographic change through sexual slavery, aiming to manipulate the population structure in favour of their ethnic and ideological motives” the report stated.
Ambassador Elzein Ibrahim Hossein, Sudan’s representative to Ethiopia and the African Union, highlighted, that since the military coup in April 2023, Sudan has been plunged into chaos, with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary militia initially executing the coup before transforming into a rebel force fighting against the Sudanese government.
He said Sudan has filed a petition with the International Court of Justice, seeking justice against these external influences.
Ibrahim emphasized the importance of international attention and action. He highlighted the threat posed by transboundary militias and mercenaries recruited from over 13 countries, warning that these external criminal elements threaten regional security.
He called on the African Union to condemn this phenomenon and urged neighbouring countries to cease their support for militias operating within Sudan.
The widespread displacement and atrocities have prompted calls for the International Criminal Court to pursue accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed during this prolonged conflict.
The report states that this figure represents only 2% of the total violations on the ground, indicating a likely higher prevalence, victims, many under 18, have faced brutal assaults in cities such as Khartoum, Nyala, El-Geneina, and Gezira.
