Nyala, October 13 (Darfur24)
At least three displaced women living in Kalma Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, east of Nyala in South Darfur, were killed last week amid a surge in violence targeting women by unidentified armed groups, according to camp officials.
Hanan Hassan, the camp’s women’s secretary, told Darfur24 that the victims were killed while working on nearby farms. She said attacks have sharply increased during the farming season, as many women leave the camp in search of work.
A member of the camp’s protection network, who requested anonymity, confirmed the incident and identified the victims as Khadija Adam, Kaltoum Suleiman, and Aziza Abdullah. He said they were shot dead by armed herders on farms in the Ashma and Abu Azaam areas.
Hanan added that approximately 50 violations against displaced women were documented between August and early October, including 15 cases of rape and 35 cases of physical assault. Most victims were young women between 17 and 22 years old, she said.
She stressed that the actual number of cases is likely much higher, as many survivors do not report violations due to stigma or fear of being prevented from leaving the camp to work.
Severe economic hardship in displacement camps has forced many women to seek livelihoods outside, leaving them exposed to increasing violence. The situation is worsened by the widespread presence of weapons and the lack of protection from local authorities.
Kalma camp is one of the largest displacement camps in Sudan, sheltering nearly 300,000 people.