Sudan’s security forces, including the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have been implicated in widespread sexual violence against women and girls in the capital Khartoum, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report released on Monday.
The rights group documented multiple cases of sexual violence, including gang rape, perpetrated since the outbreak of the conflict. HRW said the violence has had a severe impact on the physical and mental health of survivors, who also face difficulties accessing healthcare.
“The Rapid Support Forces have raped, gang raped, and forced into marriage countless women and girls in residential areas in Sudan’s capital,” said Laetitia Bader, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
It is reported that survivors of gang rape as young as 9 years old were encountered by service providers.
The report additionally finds that in some cases, physical injuries sustained due to the violence of the rapes and gang rapes, led to the victims’ death.
Sudan has been in turmoil since a military coup in October 2023. The coup upended a transition to democracy that had begun following the overthrow of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir in 2019.
The security forces have been accused of using excessive force against protesters demonstrating against military rule. HRW has previously called for an independent investigation into rights abuses in Sudan.
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