Survivors who fled the Sudanese city of al-Fashir have recounted horrific abuse, including torture and rape, at the hands of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF captured the city in late October after intense fighting, prompting over 100,000 people to flee. In displacement camps like Tawila, victims now share stories of systematic violence, extortion, and sexual assault.
Accounts of Torture and Extortion
Mohamed (a pseudonym) was among those who tried to escape to Tawila. Instead, RSF fighters captured and tortured him for a month. They forced him into hard labor. Once they identified him as a civilian, they demanded a ransom of 11 million Sudanese pounds (nearly $3,500) from his family for his release. His story reflects a widespread pattern of abduction and extortion reported by aid workers in the region.
Widespread Sexual Violence Documented
The UN has reported massive human rights violations during the RSF’s takeover. Sexual violence against women and girls is especially rampant. Aid group Doctors Without Borders recorded over 1,000 cases of sexual violence in Tawila last year alone. A local NGO protection officer, Wissal Ismail of Hope Sudan, states she has documented rapes committed by both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces, alongside systematic extortion.
Survivor Testimonies and Psychological Scars
One young mother of two described being beaten and raped by RSF fighters after leaving her home to buy food. The armed men threatened to kill her and other women if they did not comply. After her release, she fled al-Fashir with her children but was forced to leave her husband behind. Many survivors are too ashamed to report their abuse, but those who speak out anonymously describe deep trauma.
The Struggle for Support and Justice
Local support centers, like the one run by Hope Sudan, offer basic counseling and safe spaces. However, resources for comprehensive psychosocial and medical support are desperately lacking. Ismail emphasizes that survivors need far more assistance and hopes perpetrators will eventually face justice. For ongoing humanitarian updates, follow UN OCHA Sudan reports.
A City Shattered, Lives Broken
The fall of al-Fashir represents one of the darkest chapters in Sudan’s ongoing civil war. The testimonies from survivors confirm a campaign of terror involving torture, sexual violence, and ransom. As displaced people struggle to rebuild in camps, the international community faces urgent calls to provide robust humanitarian aid and to ensure accountability for these grave crimes. The world must not look away from the systematic brutality unfolding in Sudan.
