A rights group in Sudan’s North Kordofan state said on Sunday, 14 December, it documented the rape of 12 women by members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the town of Bara, following the group’s seizure of the area in late October.
The Gender Equality Network said it verified that the assaults occurred during the RSF’s invasion of Bara, adding that the victims are currently receiving medical care and shelter in displacement camps within the state. The findings align with a report by the Sudan Doctors’ Union’s Preliminary Committee, which said on 6 November that 11 women were treated for sexual assault at El-Obeid Teaching Hospital.
Medical sources said the hospital continues to receive one to two victims of sexual violence from Bara each day. Doctors also warned of a worsening health crisis linked to the conflict. Six pregnant women reportedly suffered miscarriages due to trauma and exhaustion while fleeing the town, while dozens of displaced pregnant women are facing anemia and malnutrition. More than 150 children were reported to be malnourished amid acute food shortages and limited access to healthcare.
Violence in Bara forms part of a broader escalation in Greater Kordofan, which has emerged as a major conflict zone since late October. The United Nations reported on 4 December that at least 269 civilians had been killed in Bara since the RSF takeover on 25 October, citing airstrikes, shelling and summary executions.
