Aya Ibrahim

Sudan — Female journalists in the city of El Fasher, North Darfur, western Sudan, are facing tragic conditions following the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) takeover of the city on October 27, marked by killings, rapes, and disappearances.

Several female journalists have condemned the grave violations committed by the RSF since its control of El Fasher, demanding an immediate end to the abuses. The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate stated that “around 20 journalists were in El Fasher before the recent clashes; 12 have reached the city of Tawila, while 5 remain under arrest or have been forcibly disappeared by the RSF.”

The syndicate added in a previous statement that “some journalists, including two women, have completely lost contact, and their conditions remain unknown.” Meanwhile, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that at least three female journalists were raped by RSF members, and 13 journalists, male and female, have disappeared in El Fasher, North Darfur.

Journalists working without protection

Crime reporter Ayat Fadl believes the RSF’s violations against female journalists in El Fasher — including disappearances, rapes, and targeted assaults — are meant to silence and break their resolve.

She said journalists there work under extremely dangerous conditions without any protection mechanisms to ensure their safety, calling for a hotline to contact female journalists in El Fasher and other conflict zones, along with an emergency evacuation plan and legal support to document these abuses, which she described as crimes that do not expire with time.

Since the RSF seized El Fasher, international and UN organizations have accused it of committing massacres and violations against civilians — including arbitrary arrests, forced displacement, and summary executions — during its storming of the city, which it had besieged for over a year. Several Arab countries have also condemned the violations and called for an immediate humanitarian truce.

Repeated Attacks and Grave Violations

“We are deeply concerned about the severe violations and repeated assaults women, especially female journalists, are facing. These acts are not only immoral and illegal but also aim to silence the free voice and break the spirit of Sudanese women, who are vital partners in defending the country,” said media professional Hajja Zia Mohamed Said.

She condemned the violations against female journalists in El Fasher, describing them as “crimes that contradict Sudanese values, religious principles, and international laws.” She called on relevant authorities and human rights organizations to launch an urgent, transparent investigation, hold perpetrators accountable, and ensure the safety of female journalists in conflict zones, enabling them to carry out their work.

Hajja Zia emphasized that “Sudanese women will remain symbols of resilience and will not be broken by oppression and intimidation. Their voices will continue to stand for truth, serving as the living conscience of a wounded nation.

For her part, journalist Jidaa Al-Sahib condemned the violations faced by female journalists in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces, urging the international community to issue statements condemning these abuses so that journalists can carry out their work and report the horrific realities in conflict zones. “Female journalists are subjected to the most horrific forms of violations,” she said, expressing hope for the safe return of the missing journalists to their families