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An army source reported to AFP that Sudan’s primary naval base was targeted by a drone strike on Wednesday, marking the fourth consecutive day of attacks on the seat of the army-backed government.
The source, speaking anonymously, stated that anti-aircraft missiles were deployed to counter the drones.
AFP correspondents reported a series of explosions early Wednesday, followed by smoke emanating from the Flamingo Base, located just north of Port Sudan.
War has been ongoing in Sudan since April 2023 between the regular armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which the government has accused of being a “proxy” of the United Arab Emirates.
Port Sudan, situated on the Red Sea coast, had previously been a relatively safe area, sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals and housing United Nations offices. However, this changed on Sunday when drone strikes, attributed to the RSF, commenced.
On Tuesday, drones struck various locations across Port Sudan, including the main port, the city’s power station, and the country’s last operational international airport.
Approximately 600 kilometres (375 miles) to the south, a security source reported that “three drones attempted to strike airport facilities” in Kassala, an eastern city held by the army near the Eritrean border.
Witnesses informed AFP that they heard explosions from anti-aircraft missiles west of Kassala, which has also experienced repeated attacks this week.
The nationwide conflict has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands and the displacement of 13 million people.
The RSF has not directly commented on this week’s attacks targeting Port Sudan, which is about 650 kilometres (400 miles) away from their closest known positions around greater Khartoum.
These strikes have heightened concerns about disruptions to humanitarian aid across Sudan, where famine has already been declared in some regions and nearly 25 million people face severe food insecurity.
UN relief chief Tom Fletcher expressed “serious concern” about the ongoing drone strikes on Port Sudan, a crucial hub for humanitarian operations and a key entry point for aid.
The United Nations has described the port city as “a lifeline for humanitarian operations,” warning of increased “human suffering in what is already the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.”
Wednesday’s attack follows Sudan’s decision on Tuesday to sever ties with the UAE, accusing the Gulf country of supplying weapons used by the RSF in the Port Sudan attacks and declaring it an “aggressor” state.
The UAE has consistently denied supporting the RSF, despite reports from UN experts, US politicians, and international organisations.
This long-distance drone campaign by the RSF comes after they lost control of almost all of Greater Khartoum in March, having held it for much of the war’s duration.
The war has effectively divided Sudan into two, with the army controlling the central, northern, and eastern regions, while the RSF holds the majority of Darfur in the west and parts of the south.
