Sudanese Paramilitaries Launch First Attack on Port Sudan, Army Reports

Sudan’s army has accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of launching their first attack on Port Sudan, the de facto capital of the government, signalling a significant escalation in the country’s ongoing civil conflict.

In a statement issued on Sunday, May 4, 2025, army spokesman Nabil Abdullah said the RSF deployed suicide drones to target the Osman Digna Air Base, a commercial warehouse, and various civilian facilities in the strategic Red Sea city.

While no casualties were reported, the attack caused limited damage, with smoke seen rising near the city’s airport.

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This marks the first time Port Sudan, which has served as the seat of Sudan’s army-aligned government since the early days of the war, has been directly targeted.

The city had previously remained largely untouched by the conflict that erupted in April 2023.

Sudanese Paramilitaries Launch First Attack on Port Sudan, Army Reports

The RSF has ramped up its drone operations recently, following territorial losses, particularly in the capital, Khartoum, most of which the regular army recaptured in March.

Just a day before the Port Sudan strike, army sources reported another rare drone attack in Kassala, near the eastern border with Eritrea. That city lies around 400 kilometres from the nearest RSF-controlled area, raising concerns over the group’s expanding operational range.

Port Sudan has also become a key hub for humanitarian operations, hosting offices for United Nations agencies and serving as a refuge for hundreds of thousands displaced by the war.

The conflict pits Sudan’s regular army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. It has so far claimed tens of thousands of lives and forced around 13 million people to flee their homes, leaving the country effectively split.

While the army maintains control over central, eastern, and northern Sudan, the RSF dominates most of the western Darfur region and parts of the south.

In February, the RSF and allied factions announced a plan to form a rival administration during a meeting in Kenya, intensifying fears of a deepening political divide.

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