In the shadowy theater of Sudan’s ongoing conflict, unimaginable atrocities unfold—atrocities none could fathom until they become harrowing reality. Rarely do we confront such stark evidence of humanity’s darkest instincts. Take a moment, if you will: Can you imagine children, even infants as young as one, caught in the vicious cycle of sexual violence? This chilling phenomenon, reported by UNICEF on Tuesday, is one of the bleakest narratives emerging from the clashing forces of Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
According to UNICEF, a database meticulously compiled by Sudan-based groups working tirelessly to aid survivors of sexual violence reveals that, since the previous year, 221 recorded assaults involved children. Tragically, 16 of these children were under five years old; among them were four mere infants, not even past their first year. Interestingly, roughly a third of the young victims were male—a detail that disrupts the stereotypes and broadens the understanding of this crisis.
But truth, as always, is far more complex. While these figures are deeply unsettling, they only hint at a more profound abyss. Many cases go unreported, hidden beneath layers of societal stigma and the overpowering fear of retaliation. Add to this the impassable barriers to medical care, and one can only shudder at the overwhelming invisibility of this tragedy.
One can’t help but be moved by the accounts shared by UNICEF. Among them, a woman reveals the profound aftermath of her captivity with other women and girls. She recounted, “After nine at night, someone opens the door, carrying a whip, selects one of the girls, and takes her to another room. I could hear the little girl crying and screaming.” Her words resonate with the raw truth of the situation—the victims, once freed at dawn, return almost devoid of consciousness. Who bears responsibility for these horrors? UNICEF remains neutral, urging both parties involved in the conflict to adhere to international human rights laws. Calls for comments from both the RSF and the army have so far been met with silence.
One cannot overlook the poignant appeal of UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell: “Children as young as one being raped by armed men should shock anyone to their core and compel immediate action.” Her words cut through the numbness elicited by this heartbreaking narrative. Morality demands a response, doesn’t it?
The origins of this brutal conflict trace back to April 2023, rooted in a bitter power struggle between the army and the RSF. Their clash erupted on the eve of a transition to civilian rule, igniting a humanitarian calamity characterized by mass displacement and severe hunger. As if these scourges weren’t enough, the specter of sexual violence looms large over Sudan’s women and children.
Reflecting on the staggering levels of sexual abuse documented by a U.N. fact-finding mission, the picture becomes dismally clear. The RSF and its auxiliaries account for the majority of the known cases, although within army-controlled regions, the quiet cloak of oppression makes such horrors harder to expose. Ethnically targeted assaults reported by survivors echo like sordid whispers among the ruins, drawing particular attention from news agencies like Reuters.
In a stark acknowledgment of the crisis, U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk pointed out just last week that over half of the rape cases reported in Sudan were perpetuated by multiple assailants. “An indication,” he noted, “that sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war.” This grim suggestion underscores the strategic exploitation of bodies as battlegrounds, where power play intertwines horrifically with personal violation.
In response to such accusations, the RSF has previously committed to investigating the allegations and ensuring justice prevails for the wronged. Whether these pledges hold any weight remains uncertain.
Amidst these stories and statistics, a haunting question lingers: How do we find hope amidst such devastation?
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Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International–Monitoring
