Following an increase in incidents of sexual violence against women amid the ongoing civil conflict in Sudan, the military has initiated a program to arm and train women.
The Sudanese military is providing training to women in Port Sudan to empower them to use firearms in self-defense against rape and sexual assaults.
During the conflict in Port Sudan, women who have become homeless as a result of the violence, along with teachers and students, have been enlisted for military training in a camp called ‘Rapid Support Forces’.
After months of escalating tensions, incidents of sexual violence, both in the capital Khartoum and in the Darfur region to the west of the country, have created an atmosphere of fear among women in other parts of the country.
This concern has prompted women to be prepared for the use of arms in training camps. The Sudanese military is providing them with training in the use of AK47 assault rifles.
The establishment of these special camps for training women has come after an appeal from Commander-in-Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan to mobilize them against the Rapid Support Forces.
On the other hand, both warring factions in Sudan have been accused of serious human rights abuses by human rights organizations.
