Rape and sexual violence remain part of everyday life in areas of Sudan even when fighting in the country's civil war has moved elsewhere, according to a new report by medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
Calling rape a defining feature of the conflict, it says sexual assault is overwhelmingly carried out by armed men and is often accompanied by acts of brutality and humiliation.
However, MSF mentions that rape persists as an insidious part of life for communities in the western region of Darfur that are no longer on the front line.
The report is the most comprehensive account yet on sexual violence in Sudan's nearly three-year war, based on testimonies from 3,396 victims who sought treatment in MSF-supported facilities across North and South Darfur from January 2024 to November 2025.
The warring parties, Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), are both accused of sexual violence, with the RSF being predominantly identified as the main perpetrators.
Many reported cases occurred last year in North Darfur, particularly following the RSF takeovers of multiple displaced persons camps, leading to multiple incidences of extreme violence against women.
The charity emphasized that over 90% of victims were assaulted while traveling from these areas to safety, highlighting the urgent need for protection and intervention.
In South Darfur, rape is reported to be a daily occurrence, with women often assaulted while performing routine activities such as fetching firewood or going to the market. Survivors described harrowing accounts of attacks involving multiple assailants and extreme levels of violence.
MSF's data represents only a fraction of the total scale of abuse, compounded by significant barriers including ongoing insecurity and societal stigma around reporting such crimes. The organization calls for accountability and comprehensive measures to support survivors.
