More than 200 women and girls were raped by Sudanese soldiers in their village in North Darfur after one of the nearby garrison's men went missing. The women - including 80 schoolgirls - were subjected to the eight-hour ordeal on Friday night, just hours after the garrison's commander gave the villagers until sunset to retrieve the missing soldier. One of the elders in Tabit, near El Fasher, told Radio Dabanga they were caught by surprise when the soldiers surrounded their village at 8pm. The brutal attack on the women and girls took place in a village in north Darfur in Sudan (file picture) 'They beat the people with rifle butts and chased all of the men outside the village,' he added. 'Then they started to rape about 200 women and girls, which lasted from Friday evening until 4am on Saturday.' He said the commander came to the village on Friday morning, claiming that one of his soldiers went missing on Thursday evening, and demanding the villagers retrieve him, AllAfrica.com reported. 'They also prevented us from transferring the wounded to El Fasher city, the Unamid base, or to Shangil Tobaya,' the village elder added. The commander admitted that his men committed the mass rape and apologized to the victims for the soldiers' actions. He also acknowledged that his men had beaten and humiliated the men in Tabit. The villagers have rejected his apology. One of the Sheikhs in Tabit told Radio Dabanga that the commander arrived in Tabit on Monday morning accompanied by a lieutenant and two vehicles mounted with a heavy machine gun. The village of Tabit is located in North Darfur - one of the five states composing the Darfur region of Sudan . He said: 'The commander acknowledged that his forces 'committed a mistake' against Tabit. He explained that the soldier who went missing was found in Tawila locality.' The commander asked the villagers to record the names of the rape victims and the wounded, and to bring them to the military hospital in El Fasher. 'We refused his apology,' the Sheikh added, 'and demand the formation of an independent investigation into the crime, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.' He said that following the brutal attack no Sudanese authorities or Unamid forces came to the area. Meanwhile, a number of families from Tabit have moved to Zamzam camp for the displaced in El Fasher and others are preparing to leave the area.
Mass rape was carried out in the village of Tabit into early hours of Saturday .
Soldiers beat people with rifle butts and chased the men out of the village .
Commander admitted that his men committed the mass rape and apologized .
Villagers refused apology and are demanding the men be brought to justice .
More than 200 women and girls were raped by Sudanese soldiers in their village in North Darfur after one of the nearby garrison's men went missing. The women - including 80 schoolgirls - were subjected to the eight-hour ordeal on Friday night, just hours after the garrison's commander gave the villagers until sunset to retrieve the missing soldier. One of the elders in Tabit, near El Fasher, told Radio Dabanga they were caught by surprise when the soldiers surrounded their village at 8pm. The brutal attack on the women and girls took place in a village in north Darfur in Sudan (file picture) 'They beat the people with rifle butts and chased all of the men outside the village,' he added. 'Then they started to rape about 200 women and girls, which lasted from Friday evening until 4am on Saturday.' He said the commander came to the village on Friday morning, claiming that one of his soldiers went missing on Thursday evening, and demanding the villagers retrieve him, AllAfrica.com reported. 'They also prevented us from transferring the wounded to El Fasher city, the Unamid base, or to Shangil Tobaya,' the village elder added. The commander admitted that his men committed the mass rape and apologized to the victims for the soldiers' actions. He also acknowledged that his men had beaten and humiliated the men in Tabit. The villagers have rejected his apology. One of the Sheikhs in Tabit told Radio Dabanga that the commander arrived in Tabit on Monday morning accompanied by a lieutenant and two vehicles mounted with a heavy machine gun. The village of Tabit is located in North Darfur - one of the five states composing the Darfur region of Sudan . He said: 'The commander acknowledged that his forces 'committed a mistake' against Tabit. He explained that the soldier who went missing was found in Tawila locality.' The commander asked the villagers to record the names of the rape victims and the wounded, and to bring them to the military hospital in El Fasher. 'We refused his apology,' the Sheikh added, 'and demand the formation of an independent investigation into the crime, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.' He said that following the brutal attack no Sudanese authorities or Unamid forces came to the area. Meanwhile, a number of families from Tabit have moved to Zamzam camp for the displaced in El Fasher and others are preparing to leave the area.
picture) 'They beat the people with rifle butts and chased all of the men outside the village,' village elder added. The commander admitted that his men committed the mass rape and apologized to machine gun. The village of Tabit is located in