Sudanese journalist: Significant increase in violations against women and children due to the ongoing conflict

As security conditions worsen due to the continuation of the war for the fourth consecutive month, Sudanese media have circulated information about the existence of markets in the state of North Darfur for selling girls and women who have been abducted and brought from war-affected areas, including the state of Khartoum.

Human rights violations

These claims sparked widespread controversy on social media, especially as they coincided with the publication of images of girls who were said to be forcibly disappeared during the first three months of the war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, shared by human rights groups and advocacy organizations on social media.

The Darfur Lawyers Association and its partners stated in a statement: “For some time, we have received several reports of the existence of slave markets in North Darfur, where abducted women and girls from some war-affected areas, including Khartoum, are offered for sale.”

Abduction of women

The statement revealed that it has received “information from reliable sources that Arab nomads and elements of militias that entered Sudan during the war and participated in mass killings, armed looting, and plunder, abducted many women and girls.” It also indicated that “some relatives of the abducted women and girls have arrived in areas in North Darfur and Al-Fashir city to search for them.” The Darfur Lawyers Association pointed out that there are reports of negotiations being conducted in utmost secrecy between some of the families of the abducted women and some of the kidnappers to release them in exchange for financial ransoms, but it confirmed that it has not obtained any information confirming a direct link between the activities of these nomads and the Rapid Support Forces.

Increase in rape cases

Mohamed El Tayeb, the Sudanese journalist, stated that the conflict between the armed parties in Sudan has led to an increase in cases of rape and abduction of women and girls, with many reports revealing a noticeable increase in gender-based violence.

The Sudanese journalist added: These crises and conflicts will continue in Sudan, especially with the escalation of tensions between the army and the Rapid Support Forces during this period. He pointed out that all initiatives have failed, and there are international human rights warnings about the continued violations targeting civilians, women, and children in Sudan.