In a significant escalation of Sudan’s ongoing civil war, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a drone attack on military facilities near Port Sudan Airport, a Sudanese army spokesperson confirmed on Sunday. This marks the first RSF strike to reach the eastern port city, which has largely remained untouched by the violence ravaging other regions.
While no casualties were reported, the incident has raised alarm over the conflict’s eastward expansion. The RSF has not publicly commented on the attack.
Over recent months, the RSF has targeted energy infrastructure in central and northern Sudan, though with limited impact. However, Sunday’s strike signals a possible turning point, threatening the stability of Port Sudan—a city that hosts the nation’s primary airport, a major seaport, and key military command centers.
In response, the army has ramped up security measures, fortifying key sites and blocking access to government buildings and military posts, including the presidential palace.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been mired in a brutal power struggle between the regular army and the RSF. Once allies, the two forces clashed over a proposed shift to civilian rule. The fighting has displaced over 12 million people, devastated Khartoum, and plunged much of the country into a humanitarian disaster.
Although the army reclaimed much of Khartoum earlier this year, the RSF maintains control of areas in Omdurman and dominates western Sudan. Analysts say the conflict has effectively divided the country into two spheres of influence.
With famine looming and ethnic tensions rising, the United Nations has declared Sudan the site of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Casualty estimates vary, but some research suggests tens of thousands have died, with Khartoum State alone potentially seeing 61,000 deaths in the first 14 months.