The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a drone strike on Port Sudan for the first time since the outbreak of Sudan’s civil war, according to the Sudanese army. The attack, which occurred on Sunday, targeted Osman Digna Air Base, a warehouse, and some civilian facilities in the eastern coastal city, causing limited damage but no reported injuries. This marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, as Port Sudan had previously remained untouched by direct assaults and was considered one of the safest areas in the war-torn country.
Port Sudan, located on the Red Sea, has become the de facto capital for Sudan’s military-led government after the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) lost control of Khartoum early in the war. It has also served as a hub for United Nations agencies and a refuge for hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians since the conflict erupted in April 2023. The sudden attack disrupted airport operations and prompted an emergency evacuation of travelers, with all flights now suspended following the strikes.
The RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo—commonly known as Hemedti—has not issued a statement about the strike. The Sudanese military reports that the RSF used “suicide drones” in the attack, part of a recent pattern of drone assaults on army-controlled territories, including another reported strike in Kassala just a day earlier.
Sudan’s civil war, which broke out following a power struggle between the SAF and the RSF amid a planned transition to civilian rule, has resulted in over 150,000 deaths and displaced more than 12 million people. The United Nations has labeled the crisis as the worst humanitarian disaster in the world today, with over 30 million people in urgent need of aid, many of whom are facing severe food shortages and famine.
Despite recent gains by the SAF, including the recapture of the presidential palace in Khartoum in March, analysts warn that neither side is likely to achieve full control of Sudan. The RSF controls much of western and southern Sudan, including the Darfur region, while the military holds eastern and northern territories, including Port Sudan.
This devastating conflict—Sudan’s third civil war in 70 years—has torn through the nation’s core and deepened divisions. It stems from a 2021 military coup in which a joint military council, led by SAF chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Hemedti, seized control of the government. Disagreements over the transition to civilian rule, particularly the integration of RSF forces into the national army, triggered the violence.
Despite ongoing international mediation efforts, peace remains elusive. Both sides continue to receive support and arms from foreign allies, fueling a war that shows no signs of ending and continues to devastate Sudan’s civilian population and infrastructure.
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