Investigation Links Sudanese Commanders to Wartime Rape Allegations

An investigation by the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) has identified 25 commanders from both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), along with their allied forces, who are linked to alleged sexual violence during Sudan's ongoing conflict. The report, published a year after a video surfaced showing an RSF commander, Khademallah Khashmin Herika (also known as Shiraz Khalid), appearing to incite rape, examines five locations and periods of reported abuse.

CIR's findings connect commanders' presence and roles to evidence gathered by the United Nations, rights groups, and Sudanese organizations. While the investigation does not establish that each commander personally committed or ordered rape, it identifies those who exercised authority where atrocities were reported. Investigators verified identities, locations, and filming dates, cross-referencing this with survivor accounts, reported incidents, threatening rhetoric, and indicators of heightened risk, such as the forced separation of men and women.

The UN fact-finding mission documented mass and gang rapes during the RSF's takeover of el-Fasher, including at the Saudi Hospital and el-Fasher University. Survivors have also described being detained and raped near Garni. Verified footage places Herika in el-Fasher and Garni during periods of reported abuse.

Among the senior RSF officers identified near el-Fasher is Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, deputy commander and brother of RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti). CIR verified his presence at a former army base and the Saudi Hospital during the RSF's control of the city. Artillery commander Hussein Abu Jalak was also identified, with voice analysis linking him to instructions for pursuing fleeing vehicles associated with civilian detention and executions.

RSF sector commander Gedo Hamdan Ahmed (Ibn Shouk) was observed at Zamzam displacement camp during an assault and later around el-Fasher during its takeover. Another officer, Abuaqla Mohamed Ahmed Alwakil (Kaykal), initially commanded an RSF division in Wad Madani before defecting to the army and commanding the Sudan Shield Forces. Human Rights Watch and Radio Dabanga have reported allegations of rape by his forces in Tayba and other settlements.

In Gezira, CIR examined abuses against Kanabi communities, with footage showing fighters identified as belonging to army-allied groups beating and sexually degrading a detained man. Major-General Abdelmoneim Abdelbasit Mohamed, commander of the Sennar axis, was identified in Wad Madani during the army's recapture of the city.

Both the RSF and the SAF have previously denied allegations of sexual violence. In response to CIR's reporting on sexual violence and starvation, the UK imposed sanctions on 15 senior commanders from both sides, including asset freezes and travel bans. These sanctions are separate from the 25 commanders cited in CIR's report, and do not equate to criminal convictions. CIR states that while it has reasonable grounds to believe commanders were responsible for sexual violence, data limitations prevent attributing individual criminal guilt for specific incidents. The investigation aims to provide evidence for further inquiry into command responsibility.