A Sudanese medical group, the Sudan Doctors Network, has accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing at least 19 rapes against women escaping the city of el-Fasher in Darfur, including two pregnant victims. The organisation condemned the attacks as deliberate targeting of women and a clear violation of international humanitarian law, stating that the RSF is using women’s bodies as a weapon of domination. The allegation comes amid ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which has led to tens of thousands of deaths and more than 12 million displaced people since April 2023.
After seizing el-Fasher in October, the RSF was accused of mass atrocities including killings, rape and systematic looting. Amnesty International has labelled the RSF’s actions as war crimes, while the UN Human Rights Council has opened an investigation. Survivors and doctors report that sexual violence is likely far more widespread than documented due to stigma, with cases involving victims as young as 15. The Sudan Doctors Network is urging immediate international intervention to protect women and ensure safe passage for civilians.
The crisis deepened after another RSF attack on a pre-school in South Kordofan killed at least 116 people, nearly half of them children. Sudan’s justice minister said the government is willing to engage in peace talks but insists that any agreement must remove armed militias from political and military life. Meanwhile, the RSF controls all five states of Darfur, and continues to be accused of violating ceasefire commitments, including the US–Saudi brokered Jeddah Declaration.
Alongside the violence, the UN has declared famine in el-Fasher and Kaduguli, warning that millions are at risk of starvation. Aid agencies, including the World Food Programme, say current assistance is insufficient, urging the international community to refocus attention on Sudan to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe.
Reference:
Lee, D. D. (2025, December 8). Sudan group accuses RSF of raping 19 women who fled el-Fasher. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/8/sudan-group-accuses-rsf-of-raping-19-women-who-fled-el-fasher