The report by the UN human rights office documents 546 verified incidents across 16 states between April 2023 and mid-April 2026, affecting at least 838 victims, the vast majority of whom are women and girls. Officials caution that these figures likely represent only a fraction of the true scale.

The findings show that sexual violence has spread alongside conflict zones and displacement routes, often used deliberately to terrorise civilians and break community structures.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the patterns confirm earlier warnings. “This is a war crime and, if committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack, a crime against humanity,” Türk said.

The report details a range of abuses, including rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, trafficking and sexual torture. Nearly a quarter of recorded cases involved gang rape, with some incidents involving multiple perpetrators assaulting a single victim.

Most cases were attributed to individuals in Rapid Support Forces uniforms and allied groups, although violations were also linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and other armed actors.

Children are among those affected, with victims as young as nine years old. At least 13 victims died following assaults, while many survivors suffered severe medical complications due to limited access to healthcare.

The report also highlights the use of sexual violence in ethnically targeted attacks, particularly against Masalit communities in Darfur. “Persistent impunity is deepening harm and reinforcing cycles of abuse,” Türk said.

–UN/ChannelAfrica–