UN envoy alarmed by mass rape allegations in Darfur

November 7, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The secretary-general’s special representative on sexual violence in conflict, Zainab Bangura, said alarmed by allegations of mass rape of 200 women and girls in Tabit, North Darfur.

Bangura called on the Sudanese government to allow “immediate and unhindered access” to the UNAMID to investigate and verify whether these incidents have occurred and if so to ensure accountability, and for humanitarian actors to ensure appropriate services for any survivors.

“It is critical that in the process of verifying the facts that the safety of survivors be of paramount concern,” she stressed.

Sudanese authorities did not comment or issued any statement over the alleged rape that took place on Friday evening in Tabit village which is at 45 km southwest of EL Fasher, the headquarters of the UNAMID.

Ahmed Hussein Adam, a Sudanese scholar based in New York told Sudan Tribune that the victims told him by telephone that “more than 650 solider in about 25 vehicles attacked the Tabit village from all directions at Friday 8pm,” he said adding the armed soldiers “beat and thrown the men outside the houses to focus on raping the women”.

Two rebel groups, the Justice and Equality Movement and Sudan Liberation Movement Abdel Wahdi al-Nur condemned the “heinous crime” and called on the international community to probe the assault.

They also accused the UNAMID of failing to protect civilians and called to review its mandate.

(ST)