UN: Sexual violence increasingly used as 'weapon of war' in Sudan
UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten said in a Geneva report that confirmed cases of sexual violence in Sudan's two-year war have reached 2,847, with the real total far higher. The report cites a concentration of attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Darfur and Khartoum.
The report, presented at UN Geneva on Tuesday, covers the period from 1 April 2024 to 31 May 2026 and finds that 87 percent of the 2,847 confirmed cases took place in settlements across western Darfur provinces. Patten said: « our findings point to a systematic pattern, and only a small fraction of survivors are able to come forward. »
The report confirms a selective ethnic targeting by RSF units during attacks on settlements in El Geneina, Nyala, Zalingei and southern Khartoum, while noting that Sudanese Armed Forces units have also been identified as perpetrators in isolated incidents. The UN Human Rights Council has scheduled an emergency session on Sudan for 14 July.
RSF spokesperson Ahmed Mursi said in a written statement: « Our forces are tasked with protecting civilians and individual incidents are handled through disciplinary procedures. » International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan said Patten's report « will be considered as direct evidence in ICC casework. »
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