Sexual Violence: The Defining Horror of Sudan's Conflict, Says Doctors Without Borders

A new report by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reveals that sexual violence has become the "defining feature" of the brutal conflict in Sudan, with thousands of women and girls, and even young children, subjected to systematic abuse by armed groups.

Hanaan's Ordeal: A Glimpse into the Crisis

The report includes harrowing testimonies, such as that of Hanaan, an 18-year-old survivor who was raped by members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group widely accused of war crimes during nearly three years of fighting against Sudan's army. Hanaan, whose name has been changed for her protection, recounted how she and a friend were stopped by four armed men on motorbikes while walking to their makeshift home in a South Darfur displacement camp.

"Two took each girl, and they raped us," she told MSF. She described feeling "uncomfortable in my body, heavy," and experiencing pain from being beaten with guns during the assault.

MSF Report Unveils Widespread Abuse

Hanaan's testimony forms part of MSF's recent report, "There is Something I Want to Tell You…", which exposes the pervasive use of sexual violence as a weapon in Sudan's ongoing brutal civil war. Between January 2024 and November 2025, MSF-supported health facilities in North and South Darfur treated 3,396 survivors of sexual violence.

The NGO emphasized that this data represents only a fraction of the actual crisis, as it was collected from programmes in just two of Sudan's 18 states. Alarmingly, women and girls comprised 97 percent of those treated, with the RSF and its allied militias identified as the primary perpetrators of this systematic abuse.

Olley News Insight: The ongoing conflict in Sudan, primarily between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, has displaced millions and created a humanitarian catastrophe. Reports like MSF's highlight not just the direct casualties of war, but the horrific gender-based violence used as a tactic to terrorize and control populations, exacerbating an already dire situation.

Children Among the Vulnerable

Ruth Kauffman, MSF Emergency Health Manager, underscored the gravity of the situation, stating, "Sexual violence is a defining feature of this conflict – not confined to front lines, but pervasive across communities." She added that the war is being fought "on the backs and bodies of women and girls," fueled by displacement, collapsing community support, limited healthcare access, and deep-rooted gender inequalities.

Following the RSF's capture of el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, in October 2025, MSF treated over 140 survivors fleeing to Tawila. A staggering 94 percent reported attacks by armed men, often along escape routes. The report notes these assaults "deliberately targeted non-Arab communities as a means of humiliation and terror," drawing parallels to earlier RSF atrocities such as the dismantling of Zamzam camp, which the RSF took control of in April 2025 after heavy shelling.

Disturbingly, children are also significantly affected. In South Darfur, one in five survivors treated by MSF was under 18, including 41 children younger than five years old. Survivors described attacks occurring not only during active fighting but also in everyday settings like fields, markets, and displacement camps, highlighting the constant threat faced by vulnerable populations.

Urgent Call for Action

MSF has issued an urgent plea to the United Nations, international donors, and humanitarian organizations to significantly scale up health and protection services across Darfur and all of Sudan. The organization also called upon all parties to the conflict to immediately cease and prevent sexual violence and to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable for their horrific crimes.

Key Takeaways

  • Doctors Without Borders (MSF) identifies sexual violence as a "defining feature" of the conflict in Sudan.
  • Over 3,300 sexual violence survivors were treated by MSF in North and South Darfur between January 2024 and November 2025, representing a fraction of the true scale.
  • 97% of survivors treated by MSF were women and girls, with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias primarily responsible.
  • Children are significant victims; one in five survivors in South Darfur was under 18, including 41 children under five.
  • Attacks often target non-Arab communities and occur in various settings, including displacement camps and escape routes.
  • MSF calls for urgent scaling of health and protection services and accountability for perpetrators from all parties to the conflict.