Jebel Marra in Darfur: Three rape victims tell their story

Three of the five girls and women who were gang-raped near Nierteti in Central Darfur on Tuesday, were prepared to tell their story to Radio Dabanga today.

During their flight from air raids on their villages east of Nierteti, in the southern part of Jebel Marra, five women, among them two minors, were raped by militiamen.

The militiamen withdrew from a major offensive in Mount Marra, the Sudanese military launched against rebel combatants of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement led by Abdelwahid El Nur (SLM-AW) on Friday.

One of the victims, aged 15, told Radio Dabanga that she, together with her family and neighbours, fled the aerial bombardments on Katur village on tuesday morning.

“On our way to Nierteti town, we saw large numbers of militiamen on motorcycles and others riding horses and camels attacking the fleeing villagers,” she said. “They raped any woman or girl they were able to seize, even the old women.

“I tried to hide in the wilderness, but I was seized by four militiamen, who raped me in turns. After they left me, people took me with them to Nierteti. I do not know the whereabouts of my mother and sisters.”

Another victim, 14-years-old, said that the people of her village, Keninga, fled the air raids and attacks by government forces in groups.

“Our group took the road directly leading to Nierteti. When we approached the town, janjaweed on motorcycles, horses and camels intercepted us. I tried to run, but five of them grabbed me, and raped me alternately. I saw ten other girls and women being raped in the nearby valley,” she related.

The third victim (45) told Radio Dabanga that she fled Keninga village with her three children and her handicapped aunt.

“Near Nierteti, large groups of militiamen on camels and horses attacked the fleeing people. Eight of them tied my oldest son (25) to a tree in the valley nearby, and began raping me and my crippled aunt alternately. 

"These janjaweed did hardly speak Arabic," she noted.

She saw many other fleeing women being raped. “Yet I cannot say how many exactly.””

The woman said that she could not find her children after the rape. “I have been searching for them as far as possible with all the militiamen in the neighbourhood.”