Mon Dec 08 08:08:51 UTC 2025: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sudan Doctors Network Accuses RSF of Rape as a Weapon of War; Pregnant Women Among Victims
AL-DABBA, SUDAN – The Sudan Doctors Network (SDN) has issued a scathing condemnation of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accusing them of using rape as a weapon of war against women fleeing the embattled city of el-Fasher in Darfur. In a statement released Sunday, the SDN documented at least 19 cases of rape among women who had sought refuge in al-Dabba in Northern State. Shockingly, two of the victims were confirmed to be pregnant.
“The Sudan Doctors Network strongly condemns the gang rape being perpetrated by the RSF against women escaping the horrors of El-Fasher,” the group stated. “It constitutes a direct targeting of women in a blatant violation of all international laws that criminalise the use of women’s bodies as a weapon of oppression.”
Elsheikh, a spokesperson for the SDN, told Al Jazeera that the reported cases are likely just the tip of the iceberg, due to the stigma surrounding sexual violence and survivors’ reluctance to come forward. He further reported the network has documented 23 cases of rape among women who fled El-Fasher for the nearby town of Tawila. The SDN has also expressed deep concern over the ages of the victims, ranging from 15 to 23 years old.
The accusations come amidst a broader humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where a civil war between the Sudanese army and the RSF, ongoing since April 2023, has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced over 12 million people. El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, fell to the RSF in October, leading to widespread reports of atrocities, including mass killings, rape, and pillaging.
Amnesty International has already accused the RSF of “war crimes,” and the UN Human Rights Council has launched an investigation into the abuses in El-Fasher.
The SDN is calling on the international community to take immediate action to protect Sudanese women and girls, demanding “serious pressure on RSF leaders to immediately stop these assaults, respect international humanitarian law, and secure safe corridors for women and children.” The crisis adds another layer of complexity to the conflict, particularly in the Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan regions.
The accusations come as the UN has formally declared famine in El-Fasher and Kaduguli, with the WFP providing aid to five million people but stating assistance falls far short of the needs. Justice Minister Abdullah Dirife has expressed Khartoum’s willingness to pursue political talks to end the conflict, on condition the RSF give up their weapons and leave the cities.
First Piper 