A paramilitary group in Sudan, known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has come under severe criticism from leading human rights organizations and 30 United Nations experts. The RSF has been accused of carrying out rape and sexual violence against women during the four-month conflict in Sudan.

The conflict in Sudan started on April 15 when simmering tensions between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces escalated into open fighting. According to reports from New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), the RSF specifically targeted non-Arab women and girls in the western Darfur region.

Activists documenting human rights abuses were also victims of these violent acts. Belkis Wille, HRW's crisis and conflict director, condemned the RSF for their actions, stating, "The Rapid Support Forces and allied militias appear responsible for a staggering number of rapes and other war crimes during their attack on El Geneina."

HRW documented 78 cases of rape between April 24 and June 26 during their investigation. The United Nations also expressed alarm at the reports of sexual violence committed by the RSF. A group of 30 independent UN experts highlighted the widespread use of rape and other forms of sexual violence, and raised concerns about the inhumane treatment and sexual assault faced by detained women.

They called on the RSF to uphold their humanitarian and human rights obligations. The RSF, which evolved from state-backed Arab armed groups known as the Janjaweed, has faced accusations of human rights abuses in the past. Darfur, where the conflict is centered, experienced genocidal war in the early 2000s, with the Janjaweed accused of widespread killings, rapes, and other atrocities.

The International Criminal Court's prosecutor, Karim Khan, informed the UN Security Council that investigations were underway into alleged new war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. The conflict has resulted in estimated 4,000 deaths, although activists and doctors on the ground believe the actual death toll to be much higher.

More than 4.3 million people have been displaced, with over one million seeking refuge in neighboring countries. As the RSF faces mounting accusations, calls for a thorough investigation into these acts of sexual violence have grown louder. The world is watching, as the UN Security Council has been urged to take urgent steps to bring an end to the ongoing atrocities, and to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.