CIR places 25 Sudan commanders at reported sexual-violence sites

The Centre for Information Resilience identified 25 commanders from Sudan’s rival forces who appeared at five locations during periods of reported sexual violence, an Al Jazeera feature published October 30 said.

The findings add evidentiary pressure in Sudan’s three-year war and are separate from Britain’s October 26 sanctions against 15 senior commanders over suspected atrocities, including conflict-related sexual violence.

CIR said one case involved Khademallah Khashmin Herika, also known as Shiraz Khalid, a major in the Rapid Support Forces’ female contingent. A TikTok video posted on October 26, 2025, showed her appearing to encourage fighters to rape women in Sudan’s Northern State: “The Northern State? You’ll just go for its women, so you cleanse their lineage and bring [brave] sons just like you.”

CIR said it could not determine where that video was recorded. Al Jazeera said separate footage placed Herika in el-Fasher and Garni, where survivors described girls being detained and raped.

The investigation covers commanders from the RSF, the Sudanese Armed Forces and allied groups. CIR said it checked identities, locations and, where possible, recording dates, with two analysts independently verifying commander sightings before comparing them with survivor accounts, reported incidents and risk indicators such as the forced separation of men and women.

The report does not say each named commander personally carried out or ordered rape. CIR said it had reasonable grounds to believe the identified commanders were directly or indirectly responsible for sexual violence, while also saying available data prevented it from assigning individual responsibility for specific incidents.

The United Nations fact-finding mission documented mass and gang rape during the RSF takeover of el-Fasher, including at the Saudi Hospital and el-Fasher University, according to Al Jazeera. Women and girls were also attacked on routes out of the city, the feature said.

CIR placed Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, deputy commander and brother of RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, around el-Fasher. It verified him at the former 6th Infantry Division base on October 26, 2025, and at the Saudi Hospital on November 4, Al Jazeera said.

The investigation also traced Abuaqla Mohamed Ahmed Alwakil, known as Kaykal, across both sides of the conflict. CIR cited an RSF announcement appointing him to command a division in Wad Madani on December 19, 2023, and later verified him in January 2025 commanding the pro-army Sudan Shield Forces after he defected.

Al Jazeera said rights groups and media reports linked forces under Kaykal or Sudan Shield to alleged abuses, including the reported rape of seven women at Wad Madani’s Industrial School and the abduction of 13 women and a man from Tayba camp. The article did not report a criminal finding against Kaykal.

Al Jazeera said it sought responses from the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces but received none. Both forces have previously denied allegations that their personnel committed sexual violence.

Britain’s October 26 sanctions imposed asset freezes and travel bans on 15 senior commanders from Sudan’s rival forces. The UK government also pledged 5 million pounds ($6.7 million) for survivors, including healthcare and psychosocial support, and 10 million pounds ($13.4 million) for humanitarian assistance.

A command-responsibility case would require evidence of effective control, knowledge and failure to prevent, repress or report crimes. CIR’s findings instead preserve verified images, locations and timelines for further investigation.

Source: Al Jazeera feature, October 30, 2026.