Khartoum: Several women and girls, some as young as 12, have been kidnapped and raped as a result of the conflict between military factions in Sudan, according to aid organisations and government officials.
Save the Children said in a statement on Friday that armed combatants are sexually abusing and raping teenage girls in "alarming numbers," and the UN noted a "marked increase" in gender-based violence.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese army are at odds in the conflict that broke out on April 15 over proposals for a political transition towards civilian rule. The western part of Darfur and the capital Khartoum have seen the most fighting.
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The Sudanese government's Combating Violence against Women unit estimates that number may represent just 2% of all rapes that may have occurred as a result of the conflict, despite the fact that dozens of cases have been confirmed. "We are aware that the official statistics only represent the very beginning. Children as young as 12 are being targeted due to their gender, ethnicity, and vulnerability, said Arif Noor, director of Save the Children's Sudan.
According to him, some parents were marrying off their daughters at a young age in an effort to shield them from future abuse. In addition, reports of gang rapes of women and girls and the detention of girls for days while they are sexually assaulted have surfaced.
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In a joint statement this week, UN agencies noted that "healthcare providers, social workers, counsellors, and community-based protection networks inside Sudan have all warned of a marked increase in reports of gender-based violence as hostilities continue throughout the country."
Due to the unstable security situation, there is also limited access for humanitarian aid and electricity, which makes it more challenging to report violations and receive support.
Additionally, CVAW reported an increase in the number of cases of kidnapping women and girls, particularly in Khartoum, citing a number of recent incidents for which it claimed RSF fighters were to blame.
The RSF has promised that those who abuse others will be held accountable, but it has not directly addressed claims of assault and sexual violence made by its fighters.
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4.2 million people, up from 3 million prior to the conflict's beginning in mid-April, are thought to be at risk of gender-based violence, according to the UN. The population of Sudan is 49 million.