Sudan rights group accuses armed fighters of rape in Omdurman, force denies link

August 28, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – A Sudanese human rights monitor accused four armed men suspected of belonging to the Joint Force of raping a woman in Omdurman, an allegation the force’s leadership denied.

The Al Jazirah Human Rights Observatory said the incident occurred early Thursday in the Umbada district, highlighting the growing vulnerability of women and girls in the capital’s outskirts amid deteriorating security and the proliferation of armed groups.

According to the monitor, four armed men riding motorcycles stopped the victim and her mother at around 1 a.m. in the Bir Hammad area as they walked home from work at a restaurant.

The gunmen took turns sexually assaulting the woman at gunpoint while forcing her mother to watch, the rights group said.

The survivor was taken to the obstetrics and gynaecology department at Umbada Hospital, where medical staff confirmed signs of sexual violence and issued a standard police medical report to begin legal proceedings, the group added.

The observatory said the assault, committed under threat of weapons by multiple perpetrators, reflects severe wartime sexual violence that could constitute a war crime or crime against humanity.

The group urged authorities to launch an independent and transparent investigation to identify the perpetrators, verify any links to the Joint Force, and protect the survivor and witnesses from reprisals.

Mutawakil Ali Wakeel, a spokesperson for the Joint Force, denied that any members of the coalition were involved.

Wakeel said the force had no link to the incident, describing allegations against its personnel as baseless and damaging the reputation of units tasked with protecting civilians.

The Joint Force, composed of former Darfur rebel groups allied with the Sudanese army, remains committed to international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians, Wakeel added.