Three women were raped in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan on Tuesday by eight members of the Popular Defense Force (PDF).

A patrol crew from the PDF consisting of 8 members led by an officer nicknamed ‘Western Nuer’ pulled up at 9:00 p.m. in a Land Cruiser to a house where a woman sells traditionally brewed drinks. They entered the house as customers, but surprised family members noted that they were carrying weapons.

The soldiers threatened the women in the house with guns when they were asked to pay, according to witnesses and neighbors of the house in Kadugli. They then took turns raping two of the women. The witnesses added that the girls continued screaming and calling for help, but the neighbors feared the military vehicle and the weapons. At the time, the main woman of the house, ‘Khadija’, was not at home.

After the criminals left the neighbors came into the house and found the women in a very bad condition. They transferred one woman aged 21 and her younger sister to the hospital, and left ‘Khadija’ and her grandmother at home.

While the neighbors were taking the girls to the hospital, the PDF patrol came back to the house for the second time at 12:30 am and threatened the blind grandmother and kidnapped Khadija, 45 years old, who was at the house.

She was found by a rickshaw driver the next morning in a creek, in terrible condition, the witnesses and neighbors stated.