Full Breakdown
UN Report Finds RSF Systematically Uses Sexual Violence as Weapon of War in Sudan
6/25/2026, 12:07:02 PM
RSF's Systematic Use of Sexual Violence (Core Event & Background)
The UN OHCHR’s trend-analysis for 15 April 2023-15 April 2026 recorded 546 sexual-violence incidents affecting 838 victims in 16 of Sudan’s 18 states. About 87 % involved men in RSF uniforms, affiliates or allied Arab militias. The abuse unfolded during the RSF-SAF war that began in April 2023 and spread across Darfur, North Kordofan.
Scale of Abuse (Key Statistics)
The 838 victims included women, girls, and a few men and boys. 85 women and girls were held in sexual slavery and forced to work for fighters; 59 pregnancies resulted from rape. Gang rapes, some with ten or more perpetrators, were common. Only 48 incidents were reported to police and two investigations.
Official Responses & International Reactions
Volker Turk called the abuse a war crime and crime against humanity. Diplomats warned “atrocities in El Fasher…must not be repeated.” UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said el-Obeid is “on the precipice of an atrocity.” The UN Security Council sanctioned four RSF commanders and the US sanctioned RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti). The ICC has opened a probe into RSF and SAF commanders.
Criticism of Impunity
Observers warn the SAF-backed amnesty announced in October 2024, lacking exclusions for sexual crimes, could shield RSF perpetrators. In RSF-controlled zones, formal justice mechanisms are absent; victims risk secondary persecution, a woman sentenced to death after abuse. Low reporting underscores systemic impunity.
Survivor Testimonies (On-the-Ground Reports)
Chained, blindfolded and moved hundreds of kilometres, survivors reported Masalit women forced to state their tribe before rape, hearing threats like “If you are Masalit, we will slaughter you today.” Zaghawa women faced similar abuse in el-Fasher; a mother was shot after pleading for her daughter, who was then gang-raped.
Reporting Gaps (Conflicting Reports & Gaps)
The OHCHR notes that of the 546 incidents, only 48 were reported to police and two investigations proceeded, leaving an evidentiary gap. The exact number of perpetrators and the full geographic extent of sexual slavery remain unverified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war. This is a war crime and, if committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack, a crime against humanity,” — Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
- “Persistent impunity is clearly deepening harms and reinforcing cycles of violations and abuses,” — Volker Turk, UN rights chief
- “on the precipice of an atrocity” — Yvette Cooper, UK Foreign Secretary
- “Last year, the world witnessed with horror the atrocities in El Fasher - crimes that are assessed to bear the 'hallmarks of genocide'. We must not allow such failures to be repeated,” — Joint statement by France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom
Prospects for Accountability (What’s Next)
The ICC probe, UN Security Council sanctions and European diplomatic pressure are accountability avenues. Advocates call for expanded documentation, broader investigations and removal of amnesty provisions that protect sexual-violence perpetrators, to halt further abuse.