Key facts
- Sexual violence is being used as a 'weapon of war' in Sudan, according to a UN report.
- The UN verified 546 incidents of conflict-related sexual violence, including gang-rape and sexual slavery, affecting at least 838 victims.
- Most verified cases were attributed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias, with the army also accused.
- UK and six European nations issued a joint statement calling for an immediate halt to violence in el-Obeid city.
- The RSF is reportedly preparing for an offensive on el-Obeid, using drones and targeting civilian infrastructure.
Sexual violence is increasingly being employed as a 'weapon of war' in Sudan, according to a report by the UN Human Rights Office. The report describes the violence as "unprecedented in terms of the scale, prevalence and brutality of its widespread use as a weapon of war." The conflict, which began in 2023 following a dispute between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, displacing over 11 million people and leaving 28 million facing acute hunger.
The UN report verified 546 incidents of conflict-related sexual violence, including gang-rape and sexual slavery, affecting at least 838 victims since the war started. The figures are considered to be "only the tip of the iceberg" due to under-reporting. While most verified cases were attributed to RSF fighters and allied militias, the army and its allies were also accused of similar acts. UN human rights chief Volker Türk stated that sexual violence constitutes a war crime and, if systematic, a crime against humanity.
Meanwhile, the UK and six other European nations have urged an immediate cessation of violence in el-Obeid city, expressing fears that the RSF is preparing for a major assault. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper warned of an "imminent offensive" and potential atrocities, noting the RSF's use of drones against civilian infrastructure and supply routes. El-Obeid, a strategic city located between RSF-controlled and army-controlled areas, is currently sheltering approximately 200,000 displaced people.