Eight women raped by armed militia

An armed militia closely affiliated to the government raped eight displaced women from Kirending camp in West Darfur as they were on their way to gather firewood last Thursday. Witnesses told Radio Dabanga that the displaced women were subjected to rape collectively at gunpoint and beaten with sticks and rifle butts. The raped women were transferred to El Geneina hospital in critical physical and psychological condition to receive treatment. They said that they were threatened with physical torture if they would report any information to any human rights organization or news agency. The Darfur Lawyers’ Association announced yesterday in a statement that it would delegate a committee to investigate the case in preparation for bringing the offenders to trial. They called on human rights organizations to stand by the raped women. The association also called on the government of West Darfur to investigate immediately the incident as ‘crimes committed against humanity.’