In brief
A recent report by Médecins Sans Frontières reveals that rape and sexual violence have become entrenched in the daily life of many Sudanese communities, particularly in the western region of Darfur. Despite a shift in active conflicts, sexual violence persists, predominantly inflicted by armed groups. These revelations are based on testimonies from thousands of survivors seeking medical assistance.'
Rape and sexual violence remain part of everyday life in areas of Sudan even when fighting in the country's civil war has moved elsewhere, according to a new report by medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
Calling rape a defining feature of the conflict, it says sexual assault is overwhelmingly carried out by armed men and is often accompanied by acts of brutality and humiliation. However, MSF claims that rape persists as an insidious part of life for communities in the western region of Darfur that are no longer on the front line.
The report is the most comprehensive account yet on sexual violence in Sudan's nearly three-year war, based on testimonies from 3,396 victims who sought treatment in MSF-supported facilities across North and South Darfur between January 2024 and November 2025.
The warring parties - Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) - are both accused of sexual violence. However, the vast majority of identified perpetrators were RSF fighters.
Many cases occurred in North Darfur, particularly after RSF takeovers of displaced persons camps and el-Fasher city, which MSF describes as one of the most shocking iterations, unfolding the most unimaginable brutality. More than 90% of victims treated had been assaulted while trying to reach safety.
Victims detailed horrifying experiences, such as being gang-raped while threatened with weapons, exposing an alarming prevalence of sexual violence in the region. Non-Arab communities are reportedly targeted, reinforcing the ethnic dimensions of the ongoing conflict.
MSF emphasizes the humanitarian system's failure to address the needs of survivors, calling for immediate accountability and action to protect vulnerable communities from these atrocities.
