Khartoum – A Sudanese government minister has made serious allegations against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accusing them of widespread human rights abuses, including sexual violence, forced conscription, and the enslavement of women.
Selma Ishaq, the State Minister for Social Development and Human Resources, stated that the RSF is increasingly resorting to the forced recruitment of children and young men in the regions of West and South Kordofan. She further accused the paramilitary group of using sexual violence and rape as weapons of war, and of enslaving women and selling them in neighboring countries.
Speaking to journalists, Minister Ishaq highlighted reports of systematic violations against civilians, including the bombardment and siege of cities. She suggested that the RSF is using the pretext of protecting civilians to pressure the Sudanese government into negotiations and to achieve political gains.
The minister further alleged that the RSF has abducted women and sold them in markets in Chad and the Central African Republic, accusing authorities in those countries of complicity. She also reported that hundreds of women are being held in Nyala, and that there are numerous cases of disappearances that families are hesitant to report out of fear.
According to Ishaq, some women have been subjected to conditions of outright enslavement, deprived of food and water, and forced to take drugs, compounding their need for both physical and psychological treatment.
The minister recounted a disturbing incident involving an RSF field commander in Al Jazeera State, identified as “Pharaoh,” who allegedly flaunted stolen jewelry and instilled terror wherever he went. She also referenced instances of forced marriages to RSF fighters, where families were reportedly subjected to gang rape.
Minister Ishaq acknowledged the difficulty in obtaining accurate figures on the number of sexual assault victims, stating that the reported numbers are likely a significant underestimation. She cited figures of 1,844 women survivors before the fall of El Fasher, along with 30 cases from Bara in North Kordofan, and 1,300 survivors identified by the Public Prosecution and its team in refugee camps. These figures underscore the urgent need for increased support and protection for victims of sexual violence in Sudan.
