UN official confirms rape of displaced women fleeing El Fasher

December 5, 2025 (AL-DABBAH) – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative in Sudan, Fabrizia Falcione, confirmed that displaced women arriving at the Al-Affad camp in Northern State were subjected to rape during their flight from El Fasher.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to the camp east of Al-Dabbah, Falcione said the sexual violence had resulted in pregnancies and severe, long-term psychological trauma. She pledged that the UNFPA would provide necessary assistance to the survivors.

While the U.N. official did not provide specific figures, psychosocial support providers at the camp told Sudan Tribune that confirmed cases of sexual violence included underage girls.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, in October, forcing civilians to flee to Northern State and other regions.

During a visit to the camp last month, Sudan’s Minister of Social Welfare, Moatasem Ahmed Saleh, accused the RSF of raping approximately 100,000 women in El Fasher.

Falcione said pregnant and breastfeeding women at the camp require urgent pre- and post-natal care, noting that many women arrived without their families. She called for the immediate provision of adequate water and sanitation services, stressing that the protection of displaced women is an urgent priority.

The official commended the local community for providing humanitarian aid despite limited resources. Falcione also visited Al-Dabbah Central Hospital and the “Hosh Mellit” reception point for displaced persons.