Police arrest suspects in gang rape of displaced woman in eastern Sudan

December 6, 2025 (KASSALA) – Police in eastern Sudan have arrested three men suspected of robbing a displaced family and raping a young woman, authorities said on Saturday, in a crime that has sparked widespread panic.

Local media reported on Friday that four men stormed a home in the North Halanga district of Kassala, gang-raping a 20-year-old woman in front of her relatives before looting the property.

The Kassala State Security Committee confirmed the arrests and said a search was underway for the remaining suspects. Charges of rape and robbery have been filed under the Criminal Code.

While initial reports suggested the attackers carried firearms, a police investigation indicated they were armed with bladed weapons.

Crime rates have risen in government-controlled areas like Kassala, driven by the proliferation of weapons and the mobilization of armed groups amid the ongoing civil war.

Authorities pledged to prosecute the perpetrators but criticized social media activists for “inflaming public opinion” with negative commentary regarding the incident.