Women rights group documents 52 rape cases in Sudan’s El Fasher after RSF takeover

November 29, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – At least 52 women and girls were subjected to rape and gang rape in El Fasher during the first ten days following the seizure of the North Darfur capital by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a women’s rights network reported.

The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) said the verified cases occurred between October 26, when the paramilitary group took control of the city, and early November. The network noted that these documented cases likely represent only a fraction of the abuses committed during the displacement of civilians.

Most of the crimes were committed on October 27, 2025, and involved victims aged 14 to 45, SIHA said in a statement.

The violations occurred as women and girls attempted to flee the city through the villages of Shagra, Garni and Tura, as well as the Al Amal Gate. SIHA described the sexual violence as a deliberate “weapon of war” intended to terrorise and dismantle indigenous African communities in the region.

“This is confirmed by the speed, magnitude, and brutality with which these crimes were carried out,” the statement said.

The rights group reported a systematic pattern of abuse where civilians were forced from their homes and targeted along unsafe exit routes. The report detailed abductions, beatings and forced disappearances in isolated areas controlled by the RSF.

SIHA also accused the RSF of using ransom extortion as a systematic practice, forcing families into financial desperation to secure the release of detained relatives.

The statement highlighted a total collapse of protection systems in the area, noting the absence of functioning referral pathways, trained first responders, or safe shelters. Neither national nor international humanitarian actors have been able to respond effectively to the scale of the crisis, leaving survivors without medical care or psychosocial support.

The network expressed grave concern for Tawila, a town currently sheltering thousands of displaced people. SIHA warned that Tawilah risks becoming the next “epicentre of mass atrocities” if the RSF launches an attack, which would result in catastrophic loss of life.

SIHA called on the United Nations, the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to intervene immediately to protect civilians in North Darfur.