A Sudanese rights group has called for an urgent investigation after an 18-year-old woman was allegedly raped at gunpoint by four armed men in Omdurman’s Ombada district.
The Al-Jazira Observatory for Human Rights said the attack occurred at about 1 am on Thursday, August 27, as the young woman and her mother were returning from their jobs at a restaurant to their home in the Bir Hammad area.
According to testimony collected by the group, four armed men riding motorcycles stopped the pair on a dark street. The assailants then allegedly took turns sexually assaulting the young woman at gunpoint in front of her mother.
The observatory said the suspects were believed to be affiliated with Sudan’s Joint Force, but stressed that their identities and any organizational links must be established through an independent investigation.
The survivor was subsequently taken to the obstetrics and gynaecology department at Ombada Hospital for a medical examination. A Form 8, Sudan’s official medical document used to record injuries for criminal proceedings, was also issued.
The rights group said the medical examination confirmed that she had been subjected to sexual assault.
It described the alleged use of weapons, threats and multiple attackers as among the gravest forms of coercion and sexual violence. Depending on the circumstances and its connection to Sudan’s armed conflict, the group said such an offence could potentially constitute a war crime or crime against humanity.
The incident comes amid mounting concern for the safety of women and girls in Ombada, Libya Market, western Omdurman and other outlying areas where armed groups operate and effective protection and law enforcement remain limited.
The observatory urged authorities to treat the report as a serious allegation of conflict-related sexual violence and open a prompt, impartial and effective investigation. It also called for measures to protect the survivor and witnesses from retaliation and social stigma while preserving all relevant medical and legal evidence.
Authorities must identify the suspects, verify whether any are affiliated with the Joint Force and prosecute those found responsible, the group said. It added that commanders should also be investigated where the legal requirements for command responsibility are met.
The observatory called for the survivor to receive confidential medical, psychological and legal support and warned against publishing her name or any details that could reveal her identity.
It also urged humanitarian organizations, rights groups and international mechanisms to intensify efforts to document conflict-related sexual violence across Sudan, improve survivors’ access to protection and support services, and combat impunity.
