Silverio Omari
Women in Sudan’s South Kordofan state have been subjected to repeated rape and, in some cases, held as sex slaves by fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias, according to a report by Human Rights Watch released on Monday.
The RSF has not issued an immediate response to these allegations but has consistently denied accusations of systemic abuses during the 20-month war with Sudan’s army. This conflict has left the nation in turmoil, displacing over 12 million people.
“Survivors described being gang-raped in front of their families or over extended periods, including while being held as sex slaves by RSF fighters,” said Belkis Wille, associate crisis and conflict director at Human Rights Watch. The report detailed accounts of women being chained after attempting to escape and confined in “pen-like structures made of wires and tree branches.”
Widespread Allegations
The report highlights that most attacks occurred following RSF assaults on the town of Habila and nearby settlements on December 31, 2023. While the RSF controls parts of the state, the Sudanese army and the SPLM-N—a rebel group primarily comprising the Nuba ethnic group—maintain control over other areas, continuing years-long conflict.
Human Rights Watch documented testimonies from survivors, including one Nuba woman who recounted attackers using ethnic slurs during the assault. “As they raped us, they said to each other, ‘These Nuba are our slaves, we can do anything we want,'” she was quoted as saying.
The RSF faced similar accusations in 2023, including crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing against the Massalit community in West Darfur. While the RSF has denied widespread abuses, it has pledged to investigate individual cases involving its soldiers.
Broader Context of the Conflict
Sudan’s army has also been accused of war crimes, including indiscriminate airstrikes in RSF-controlled areas and blocking humanitarian aid, according to U.S. and UN experts. The army has dismissed these allegations.
The conflict erupted in April 2023 due to disagreements over integrating the RSF and army during Sudan’s democratic transition. The RSF initially seized control of approximately half the country but has faced recent setbacks, with the army reclaiming parts of the capital, Khartoum, and areas to the south.
Dj Vnyash
