Port Sudan, Sudan’s wartime capital, was rocked by explosions and fires on Tuesday as part of an ongoing drone assault that has significantly damaged fuel depots and disrupted the primary gateway for goods.
The strikes, attributed to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), targeted key infrastructure including the container terminal, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey.
The strikes mark a dangerous escalation in Sudan’s ongoing conflict, with drones playing an increasingly significant role in military operations.
Explosions sent large columns of black smoke into the sky as fuel facilities near the port and airport were set ablaze. Strikes also hit an electricity substation and a hotel near the presidential residence.
The U.N. has called the country’s crisis the worst in the world, and the damage to key infrastructure risks further straining aid deliveries and essential services like power and cooking gas.
Since the outbreak of civil war in April 2023, Port Sudan had remained relatively calm, serving as a safe haven for displaced people and a base for international aid operations. The RSF and General al-Burhan’s forces (SAF) have waged fierce battles for control of central Sudan, with Port Sudan becoming the main stronghold for the SAF-aligned government after the RSF’s initial push through Khartoum.
The ongoing drone strikes mark a new phase in the conflict, opening a front in eastern Sudan, where the SAF had previously driven the RSF back. Although SAF has blamed the RSF for the attacks, the group has yet to claim responsibility.
The strikes come amid heightened tensions, with regional powers like Egypt and Saudi Arabia condemning the violence. Sudan’s SAF-aligned government has accused the UAE of backing the RSF. The UAE has denied such claims.
The war has displaced over 12 million people and plunged half the population into severe hunger, according to the U.N. As both sides continue to battle for control of key regions, the conflict has drawn in various regional powers and further destabilized the Horn of Africa.