Sudan’s military said on Wednesday that its air defense systems intercepted drones attempting to strike a naval base in Port Sudan, the country’s de facto wartime capital. Explosions were reported across the city, though it remains unclear if they occurred near the Flamingo naval base.
Port Sudan, situated along the Red Sea, had remained relatively untouched since war erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023. However, the city has recently come under repeated attacks, including drone strikes reportedly carried out by the RSF.
These assaults have caused significant damage, including fires at Sudan’s largest fuel depots and disruption to the country’s primary humanitarian aid port.
Once a safe haven amid the conflict, Port Sudan now faces escalating threats, even as it hosts the army-aligned government following the RSF’s seizure of much of Khartoum at the onset of the war.
The latest drone attacks mark a new front in the conflict, just as the army has made recent gains in the capital and central regions of Sudan. The war has been marked by shifting momentum and increasing use of drone warfare by both factions.
The conflict, rooted in a bitter power struggle between the SAF and the RSF, has displaced millions and triggered widespread famine and ethnically motivated violence. Both sides have drawn on foreign support, further complicating efforts toward a peaceful resolution.
