Sudan unit reports over 1,100 rapes in RSF-held areas

 March 8, 2025 (PORT SUDAN) – Sudan’s Combatting Violence Against Women Unit said on Saturday that 1,138 rape cases had been documented in areas controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) between April 2023 and February 2025.

The announcement coincided with International Women’s Day, March 8, as women in Sudan face widespread violence, including killings, rape, kidnappings, arrests, and displacement since the start of the conflict.

Salima Ishaq, director of the unit, told Sudan Tribune that 193 of the documented cases involved girls, all occurring in RSF-held areas.

She said health services had been provided to victims in Khartoum, Gezira, Sennar, North and West Kordofan, and Darfur states since April 2023.

In a statement marking International Women’s Day, the unit called on the state to protect women from violence and discrimination and integrate gender perspectives into national policies.

“Eliminating violence against women is not an option but a national and moral duty,” the statement said, emphasizing the need for women to participate in decision-making, especially in any future political settlement, to ensure a comprehensive and lasting peace.