On March 1, 2025 the UNICEF reported children as young as 1 years had been raped during the ongoing civil war in Sudan. “Four 1-year-olds were among those who survived the assaults and another 16 survivors were children under the age of 5, the report said. Of the reported 221 cases of child rape, 66% of the victims were girls, while 33% were boys, (the report) added.” (NBCNews).

The Sudan Civil War is being fought between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) made up of former Janjaweed Militia (Britanica). The RSF was inspired by Russian President for Life Vladimir Putin to revolt against the SAF so he could gain access to it’s Red Sea port. The SAF had refused to sign a permanent access treaty, preferring to have Russia wait until a civilian government could be instituted. As early as 2023 it was reported Wagner Group Mercenaries were supplying the RSF (CNN).

The conflict began in April of 2023. It is believed between 8.8 and 12 million people have been displaced. Currently over 30 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. A May 2024 US Senate hearing estimated 15,000 to 30,000 civilian deaths, however…

According to a report published by Le Monde in November 2024, the war may have killed over 150,000 civilians through the combined tolls of bombardments, massacres, starvation and disease. A November 2024 report from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine estimated more than 61,000 deaths in Khartoum State alone, for the period between April 2023 and June 2024 Wikipedia

Most of the victims of the RSF have been minority groups, particularly the Masalit people, a non Arab group. They were targeted by the Janjaweed in the early 2000’s. According to Mujeebelrahman Yagoub, Assistant Commissioner for Refugees in West Darfur, the current killings are worse than those of 2003 War in Darfur. Massacres against the Masalit were recorded in towns such as Tawila, Sirba, Ardamata, Kutum, and Misterei, while a mass graves were discovered around Geneina.

While both sides have been accused of extensive human rights violations, a U.N. fact-finding mission in October found that the RSF was responsible for committing sexual violence on a large scale in areas under its control, including gang rapes, abductions and sexual slavery. NBCNews

The RSF and Arab militias are also accused of widespread robberies, looting food meant to feed 4.4 million people, and sexual violence against Sudanese and foreign women, particularly Masalit and non-Arab women. NGOs estimate that the actual figure of sexual violence victims could be as high as 4,400. The UN was urged to start an inquiry, and governments were encouraged to allocate resources to aid survivors (Dabangasudan.org).

Russia vetoed a proposed UN Security resolution to end the fighting in Sudan in November of 2024 (Amnesty International). Russia appeared to back away from it’s support of the RSF (Jamestown Foundation) but is believed to now be supporting both sides in the conflict (Middle East Eye). The Biden administration accused Russia of financing both sides in January of 2025 (Reuters).

In July 2024 Amnesty International reported that large numbers of recently manufactured weapons and ammunition were being transported into Sudan from China, Russia, Turkey, Yemen, the UAE and Serbia (Amnesty International). The UAE has been supplying the RSF via Wagner Group and Khalifa Haftar of Libya. You may remember Haftar was allegedly being assisted by everyone’s favorite contractor; Erik Prince.

The Sudanese Civil War and Vlad Putin’s involvement seems to escape the broadcast news. The news is more focused on the Holy Lands than they are on Sudan or Ukraine. Manufacturing Consent on YouTube

Related

• Save the Children: Children as young as 12 raped as sexual violence rips through Sudan Dabangasudan.org
• Children as young as 1 raped during Sudan’s civil war, U.N. says NBCNews
• Sudanese Civil War (2023-present) Wikipedia
• U.S. accuses Russia of funding both sides of Sudan’s war Reuters
• Exclusive: Evidence emerges of Russia’s Wagner arming militia leader battling Sudan’s army CNN
• Sudan war: Russia hedges bets by aiding both sides in conflict MiddleEastEye
• The World Once Tried to Stop a Genocide in Sudan. Now It Looks Away Time
• It’s an open secret: the UAE is fuelling Sudan’s war – and there’ll be no peace until we call it out The Guardian