Port Sudan Under Sustained Drone Attacks as Conflict Escalates

Port Sudan, the Sudanese government’s de facto capital, endured a third day of drone strikes early Tuesday, with explosions rocking its airport, military installations, and critical fuel depots, The Guardian reported. The attacks, attributed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), mark a dangerous escalation in the two-year civil war that has already displaced 13 million people and pushed the nation to the brink of famine.

The strikes paralyzed operations at Sudan’s primary international airport, grounding all flights and igniting fires in multiple buildings. A fuel depot near the densely populated city center was also hit, compounding a humanitarian catastrophe where nearly 25 million face acute food insecurity. The UN warned these assaults directly jeopardize aid deliveries, as Port Sudan serves as the main entry point for 70% of humanitarian supplies.

Witnesses described anti-aircraft fire and plumes of smoke rising from strategic locations, including areas near the residence of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The RSF’s shift to drone warfare—using both improvised and sophisticated models—follows its territorial losses in Khartoum earlier this year. Analysts suggest these strikes aim to disrupt army supply lines and demoralize civilian populations in government-held zones.

The conflict has effectively partitioned Sudan, with the army controlling the north and east while the RSF dominates Darfur. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the latest violence as “a reckless threat to civilians and relief efforts.” Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice dismissed Sudan’s genocide case against the UAE over alleged drone supplies, citing jurisdictional limits.