Human Rights Watch has accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of widespread sexual violence against women and girls in Southern Sudan during an ongoing conflict that has devastated the region. The organization documented numerous cases of gang rape and sexual slavery, prompting calls for urgent international intervention to protect civilians and bring perpetrators to justice. The situation continues to worsen as the humanitarian crisis unfolds in the war-torn areas.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) publicly condemned the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and affiliated militias for engaging in extensive sexual violence in Southern Sudan. This accusation comes amid a prolonged 20-month conflict, which has been labeled the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis by the United States. Since September 2023, HRW documented numerous incidents of sexual violence against women and girls aged from seven to fifty, including gang rapes and conditions of sexual slavery in the South Kordofan region.
The most recent report follows an earlier investigation indicating that the RSF and allied Arab militias inflicted many forms of abuse, particularly against ethnic Nuba civilians from December 2023 to March 2024. These malevolent acts, largely underreported, were categorized as war crimes. The SPLM-N, under the leadership of Abdelaziz Al-Hilu, opposes the RSF and has refused to engage in dialogue with its leader due to concerns over alleged atrocities.
This conflict has recorded tens of thousands of fatalities, resulting in over eight million internally displaced persons and forcing three million individuals to flee to neighboring countries, as reported by the United Nations. HRW highlighted harrowing accounts from survivors of sexual violence, detailing instances of gang rapes in their homes and prolonged captivity under brutal conditions. One survivor recounted a traumatic experience of being gang-raped by multiple assailants, while another described three months of daily assaults along with other detained women and girls.
HRW’s documentation emphasizes the critical need for substantial international intervention to safeguard civilians and deliver justice amidst these violations, echoing concerns raised by the UN’s humanitarian chief regarding an alarming increase in sexual violence against women in Sudan. The United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission corroborated these reports, implicating both warring factions in serious abuses while pinpointing the paramilitaries for particularly extensive sexual violence. HRW implored the UN and African Union to swiftly establish a protective mission for civilians in Sudan.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan has resulted in alarming humanitarian conditions, with widespread reports of atrocities, including sexual violence. This brutal struggle has persisted for over 20 months, leading international bodies to identify it as a significant humanitarian crisis. Within this tumultuous context, the RSF has emerged as a primary aggressor, compounded by the complex ethnic and political landscape characterized by the SPLM-N’s refusal to align with peace efforts amid violent clashes. The humanitarian fallout has been devastating, prompting grave concerns from human rights organizations regarding the protection of vulnerable populations.
The reports by Human Rights Watch underscore the serious threat posed to civilians, particularly women and girls, amid the Sudanese conflict. The multitude of testimonies concerning sexual violence, which constitutes war crimes, highlights the urgency for international intervention. The international community is called upon to act decisively to not only protect these vulnerable individuals but to also ensure accountability for the perpetrators of such heinous acts, as emphasized by various human rights organizations and United Nations officials.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
