The situation in Sudan’s South Kordofan state has taken a horrifying turn, with women being subjected to systematic sexual violence and forced into sexual slavery by fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias. According to a recent Human Rights Watch (HRW) report, the scale of abuse is devastating, with cases of rape and sexual enslavement involving women and girls as young as seven. The RSF’s actions are not isolated; they represent war crimes that have been targeting vulnerable groups in Sudan amid the ongoing civil war.
A Horrific Account of Abuse in South Kordofan
The HRW report, published on Monday, sheds light on the brutal rape and enslavement of women from the Nuba ethnic group in South Kordofan, a region that borders South Sudan. The report documents 79 separate cases of sexual violence perpetrated by RSF fighters, including gang rapes, prolonged abuse, and forced captivity. The accounts provided by survivors paint a chilling picture of the violence faced by these women.
The most harrowing account comes from one survivor who was held with 50 other women, enduring repeated rapes over the course of three months. These women were often kept in a pen-like structure and chained together to prevent escape. The victims were not only sexually assaulted but were also humiliated and subjected to degrading treatment by their attackers. Many of these women were targeted because of their ethnicity, with attackers reportedly saying, “These Nuba are our slaves, we can do anything we want.”
The Ongoing Conflict and its Impact on Women
The Sudanese civil war, which erupted in April 2023, has seen two major military factions — the RSF and Sudan’s army — engage in intense fighting. The RSF, originally a militia, quickly gained significant control over large areas, while the army has made strategic moves to regain lost territory. Amid this chaos, women have been disproportionately impacted, particularly those in South Kordofan, a region that has long been embroiled in conflict.
Since December 31, 2023, as the RSF launched new offensives on towns such as Habila, the scale of sexual violence has worsened. The Nuba women, living in remote, often overlooked parts of Sudan, have been caught in the crossfire of ethnic-based violence, with the RSF targeting them specifically due to their ethnic identity. The attacks on women are part of a larger campaign of ethnic cleansing that has marked the war.
War Crimes in South Kordofan
Human Rights Watch has stated unequivocally that the actions of the RSF in South Kordofan amount to war crimes. The systematic use of sexual violence as a weapon of war is a form of gender-based violence that has been used to terrorise and demoralise civilian populations. The survivors of these assaults have been left traumatised, with many facing long-term health consequences, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and trauma.
The United Nations and various human rights organisations have repeatedly condemned the use of sexual violence in conflict zones, but the RSF has yet to be held accountable for these atrocities. Despite these accusations, the RSF has denied committing widespread abuses, although it has pledged to investigate individual incidents. However, survivors and witnesses describe the scale of the violence as being far-reaching, pointing to a systematic pattern rather than isolated incidents.
Women Described Chilling Acts of Captivity and Abuse
Some survivors reported being held as sex slaves by the RSF fighters. Women described being chained together, kept in confined spaces, and forced to endure prolonged sexual assaults. Their testimonies depict an unimaginable level of abuse, where these women were treated as property to be used at the will of the fighters. Many women were raped in front of their families, a tactic used by the perpetrators to inflict maximum humiliation and psychological trauma.
In some instances, the fighters would refer to their victims as “Nuba slaves,” reinforcing the dehumanising attitudes towards these women. The attacks were not only physical but also psychological, as many women were forced to watch others suffer the same fate. The RSF fighters would frequently make threats, telling victims that they would be killed if they tried to escape or resist.
Sudan’s Army and the RSF: Both Accused of War Crimes
Both the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces are accused of committing war crimes during the ongoing conflict. The Sudanese army has been blamed for conducting indiscriminate airstrikes on civilian areas controlled by the RSF, as well as for blocking humanitarian aid. Despite these accusations, both sides have continued to deny the charges, and the international community remains divided over how best to respond to these violations.
The United States and the United Nations have called for an investigation into the war crimes committed by both sides, but as of now, little progress has been made in bringing perpetrators to justice. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has yet to take significant action in holding the responsible individuals accountable, despite the overwhelming evidence of atrocities being committed.
The International Community’s Response
The international community has been slow to act on the scale of war crimes taking place in Sudan, despite mounting evidence. Human Rights Watch has urged the international community to do more to hold the RSF accountable, including by imposing sanctions and supporting efforts to bring those responsible for the sexual violence to justice. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has also called for an end to the attacks on civilians, but the ongoing violence has shown no signs of abating.
Additionally, global organisations and human rights activists have been advocating for more robust measures to protect women and girls in conflict zones. These efforts include the provision of sexual violence counselling and safe houses for survivors, as well as initiatives to raise awareness about gender-based violence in conflict.
What Lies Ahead for Sudan’s Women?
The future remains uncertain for women in South Kordofan. While the war between the RSF and Sudan’s army continues, the situation for women caught in the conflict seems to grow more dire with each passing day. As long as the fighting continues, the threat of sexual violence and enslavement looms large over many communities, particularly the Nuba women.
Until there is a concerted global effort to end the war and hold those responsible for these heinous crimes accountable, the women of Sudan will continue to face unimaginable suffering.
Photo credit: CBS News
