A United Nations investigation revealed on Tuesday that the civil war in Sudan is rife with apes, particularly paramilitaries, who are accused of engaging in “staggering” levels of sexual violence.
A new report from the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan stated that women and girls are being kidnapped for sexual slavery and that children are not spared from the abuse.
In a statement, the chairman of the investigation, Mohamed Chande Othman, stated, “There is no safe place in Sudan now.”
Since April 2023, the Sudanese army (SAF), commanded by de facto ruler Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, have been at war.
One of the worst humanitarian crises in history has arisen as a result of the civil war. On Monday, UN chief Antonio Guterres stated that Sudan was going through a “nightmare” of hunger, violence, disease, and “unspeakable atrocities.”
According to the statement released on Tuesday by the fact-finding mission, the war has resulted in thousands of deaths, injuries, extensive displacement, and the devastation of homes, schools, and hospitals.
It stated, “The situation remains grim as the conflict rages on, causing tremendous suffering to civilians.”
The war has displaced approximately 11.3 million people, of whom nearly three million have fled outside of Sudan, according to the UN refugee agency.
Acute hunger affects more than 25 million people, or more than half the population.
War crimes According to the mission’s conclusion, the SAF, RSF, and their allied militias “have committed large-scale violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, many of which may amount to war crimes and/or crimes against humanity.”
People have been arbitrarily detained and tortured by both sides, which amounts to war crimes.
According to the mission, “both obstructed access to humanitarian aid for civilians in need.”
The report said that sexual violence had occurred on both sides, but that the RSF was to blame for the “large majority” of documented cases.
According to the mission, the RSF was in charge of “sexual violence on a large scale,” which included “gang-rapes and abducting and detaining victims in conditions that amount to sexual slavery.”
In addition, it claimed that the RSF and its allies had engaged in systematic pillaging and war crimes as well as crimes against humanity, including “abduction, recruitment, and use of children in hostilities.”
Terrorism and punishment Othman, a former Tanzanian chief justice, stated, “The sheer scale of sexual violence we have documented in Sudan is staggering.”
“The vulnerable civilians’ situation, particularly that of women and girls of all ages, is deeply alarming and requires immediate attention.” These violations were “part of a pattern aimed at terrorizing and punishing civilians for perceived links with opponents” and suppressed any opposition to their military advances, according to the statement.
Sexual assaults were committed “with particular cruelty, with firearms, knives, and whips” in the western Darfur region.
The report said: ” According to firsthand accounts, women as old as 75 and girls as young as eight were raped. Before and during the rape, victims frequently received “punching, beatings with sticks, and lashing,” and relatives frequently witnessed sexual violence.
According to the mission, they had credible information “about rape and gang-rape of men and boys.”
The three-member civil protection force, led by Othman, was set up in October 2023 by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate all alleged violations of human rights and international humanitarian law during the conflict.
The 80-page report from Tuesday builds on the mission’s September report to the rights council.
A ceasefire that could last for some time was required by the mission.
They reiterated their request for the establishment of an independent force tasked with safeguarding civilians.
The mission also recommended that former president Omar al-Bashir be surrendered to the International Criminal Court and that the arms embargo on Darfur and the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction over the region be extended to the entire nation.
