Women in Sudan report abductions, sexual violence, and ransom demands during the war
Kyiv • UNN
Women in Sudan are falling victim to sexual slavery and ransoms of up to $10,000. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces are accused of these crimes.
Women who survived abductions during the war in Sudan have spoken out about sexual violence and ransom demands for their release. This was reported by the Associated Press, according to UNN.
Details
One of the victims, a 38-year-old woman, said that after two days of beatings and abuse, the kidnappers gave her a phone and ordered her to ask relatives to raise money for a ransom. According to her, the attackers demanded $1,500 for her release. After being freed, the woman kept photos of her injuries as potential evidence for a future investigation.
The United Nations calls sexual violence one of the most characteristic features of the war in Sudan, which is now in its fourth year. According to the UN, many women have become victims of sexual slavery and were forced to pay ransoms that sometimes reached $10,000.
Rapid Support Forces accused of the crimes
AP spoke with three women who stated they were held as sexual slaves and forced to pay for their freedom. All of them blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which are waging war against the Sudanese army, for the abductions. Human rights organizations and the UN also attribute the majority of recorded cases of sexual violence to the RSF, although they emphasize that violations are recorded by various parties to the conflict.
According to one of the women, she was kidnapped while fleeing the city of El Fasher in the Darfur region. She claims that RSF fighters stopped a group of civilians on the road, separated the men, women, and children, and committed violence against the detainees. AP notes that it was unable to independently verify all the details of these testimonies.