Sudan’s Paramilitary Forces Launch First Drone Attack On Main Seaport

Port Sudan — Screengrab from YouTube video posted by Al Jazeera English

For the first time since Sudan’s civil war began in April 2023, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have launched drone attacks on Port Sudan- the de facto capital of the military-led government.

The Sudanese army confirmed the strike on Sunday, stating that suicide drones targeted Osman Digna Air Base and nearby civilian facilities.

According to a spokesperson for the Sundanese Armed Forces (SAF), Nabil Abdullah, the RSF used multiple explosive drones in the attack, striking the airbase, a goods warehouse, an ammunition depot, and some civilian buildings.

Although no casualties were reported, limited material damage was confirmed.

Port Sudan has remained untouched by bombardment for two years and was considered the safest part of the war-torn nation.

The city, located on Sudan’s eastern Red Sea coast, had become the seat of the military government after the army lost control of Khartoum early in the war.

The government also moved its operations to Port Sudan, and United Nations agencies relocated their offices and staff there. The city had welcomed hundreds of thousands of civilians fleeing violence from other parts of Sudan.

The strike disrupted airport operations, leading to a suspension of all flights. A Sudanese passenger plane from Dubai was forced to make an emergency landing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after failing to land in Port Sudan.

Navigation data showed the aircraft circling over the Red Sea before diverting to King Abdulaziz Airport. A traveler at the airport told AFP that passengers were evacuated from the terminal shortly after the incident.

Social media footage, which hasn’t been independently verified, showed explosions and large plumes of black smoke rising above the city.

The extent of the damage to the civilian and military parts of the airpot remains unclear. Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Khartoum reported that both military and civilian fights operate from the same airfield.

The RSF has not yet released any statement regarding the Port Sudan attack.

The incident follows a series of recent RSF drone strikes on army-controlled areas. On Saturday, a drone hit Kassala, about 400 kilometers from the nearest RSF-held territory.

The attacks suggest that the paramilitary group is expanding its operational reach into eastern Sudan, which had remained under SAF control.

The RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemedti), holds large parts of the western Darfur region and parts of southern Sudan. The SAF, commanded by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, controls the eastern and northern regions, including Port Sudan.

After recapturing the presidential palace in Khartoum in March, the army appeared to regain momentum in the war.

However, the RSF has since intensified its attacks, including shelling the capital’s presidential palace again last week and escalating its push in the Darfur region, where it is trying to seize control of El-Fasher.

The conflict, which began when a power struggle erupted between the SAF and RSF over Sudan’s transition to civilian rule, has devastated the country. It began after tensions escalated over a proposal to integrate the 100,000-strong RSF into the national army

So far, the civil war has killed an estimated 150,000 people and displaced over 12 million. The United Nations has called Sudan the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis.

Over 30 million people need urgent aid, and famine has been confirmed in 10 areas, with 17 more at risk. Half of the country’s population-nearly 25 million- requires humanitarian assistance.

Despite several international efforts, peace talks have failed, and both sides are believed to be receiving weapons and support from foreign backers.

References: BBC, Aljazeera

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