13th February, 2015
Sudanese army forces are accused of raping more than 200 females in an attack in Darfur in October last year, according to a new Human Rights Watch report.
The 48 page report alleges that during an attack in the village of Tabit beginning on 30th October at least 221 women and girls were raped over a 36 hour period. HRW said that if found to be part of a systematic or widespread attack on a civilian population, the reported mass rapes would amount to crimes against humanity.
Daniel Bekele, Africa director at HRW, said that the alleged "deliberate attack" was a "new low in the catalog of atrocities in Darfur" and called upon the Sudanese Government to stop making denials and immediately give peacekeepers and investigators access to the town.
HRW has called upon both the African Union and the UN to take "urgent steps" to protect civilians in the village from abuses.
The allegations first surfaced in early November but were denied by the Sudanese Government. On the 9th November, peacekeepers were given "brief access", said HRW, but added that security forces prevented them carrying out a credible investigation.
While Tabit has been under control of rebel armed groups in recent years, HRW found no evidence rebel fighters were in or near the town at the time of the attacks.
The US criticised the Sudanese Government for obstructing a UN investigation into what they said were "credible allegations" at the UN in New York this week.
– DAVID ADAMS
