A new report by the United Nations has exposed the widespread use of sexual violence in Sudan to a level never seen before in history as a "weapon of war." According to the report, since the war broke out in Sudan between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in 2023, there have been 546 verified instances of sexual violence which have affected 838 people – but the number could be much higher due to the ongoing problem of underreporting. The majority of gang-rapes and sexual enslavements are blamed on the RSF and their associated militia groups, while the army is accused of such violence too. On the other hand, the UK, along with six European nations, has issued an emergency alert on the strategic town of el-Obeid, where the RSF has been carrying out attacks through drones and blocking services of hundreds of thousands of people ahead of their planned assault on the area.