Port Sudan Hit by Drone Strikes as Conflict Escalates

Explosions have rocked the Sudanese city of Port Sudan for a third consecutive day, with drone strikes targeting key sites in the de-facto capital of the military-led government. Thick black smoke was seen rising over the city at dawn, and flights have been suspended after drones hit the international airport and a major hotel near the presidential palace.

Witnesses told AFP that one drone struck the civilian section of Port Sudan airport, another hit the army’s main base, and a third struck a fuel depot near the southern port. A hotel close to the residence of army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was also hit. Thousands of displaced civilians, as well as diplomats and aid workers, are currently based in the city, which had previously been considered a safe haven.

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The Sudanese military has blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the attacks. The RSF, which has increasingly turned to drone warfare, has not yet commented. The African Union has condemned the strikes as a “dangerous escalation” and a “direct threat to the lives of civilians, humanitarian access, and regional stability.”

The two-year civil war between the army and the RSF has killed thousands and forced millions to flee, creating what the UN describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Both sides have been accused of committing war crimes during the conflict. agencies with timely and credible information to combat rising insecurity in the state.