The rebel group Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) on Wednesday accused the Sudanese army of using rape and sexual violence as a tactic of war, urging urgent international intervention on the International Day of Peace.
The International Day of Peace, also officially known as World Peace Day, is a United Nations-sanctioned holiday observed annually on 21 September.
In a statement issued from the Nuba Mountains, SPLM-N spokesperson Sanaa Philip said women and children in conflict-hit regions — including Darfur, North Kordofan and South Kordofan — have been subjected to systematic torture and sexual violence by government forces.
“These crimes constitute a tactic of warfare and a matter of international peace and security,” the statement said. The group did not provide figures to support the allegations.
The SPLM-N called on the United Nations to investigate the alleged crimes and hold perpetrators accountable under U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1820 and 1960, which address sexual violence in armed conflict.
It urged the U.N. to take immediate action to end impunity and ensure medical assistance reaches victims of rape and forced pregnancy.
The group blamed Sudan’s civil war on what it called “successive regimes” in Khartoum, accusing them of fostering injustice, inequality and an exclusive cultural identity that has marginalized large segments of the population.
The statement also emphasized the role of women and youth in building a peaceful, inclusive “New Sudan,” and reiterated SPLM-N’s commitment to a democratic, secular and decentralized state.
Sudan has been in a state of civil war since April 2023, when fighting broke out between the national army, led by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. The conflict has intensified existing violence in regions such as Darfur and the Nuba Mountains, where SPLM-N is active.
The United Nations has repeatedly warned of widespread atrocities and an escalating humanitarian crisis, including the threat of famine.
The Sudanese military could not immediately be reached for comment.
SPLM-N is part of a parallel government formed in alliance with Hemedti’s RSF. On Aug. 30, the group announced the swearing-in of a new administration in Nyala, South Darfur. The RSF, which has been at war with the Sudanese army since April 2023, controls large parts of western Sudan.
SPLM-N leader Abdelaziz al-Hilu, who commands significant territory in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, was sworn in as Hemedti’s deputy in August. Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi, a former member of Sudan’s transitional government and a native of South Darfur, was named prime minister.