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Port Sudan, once considered a safe haven in Sudan’s brutal two-year civil war, has come under sustained drone attacks for a third consecutive day, triggering a full-scale blackout and widespread fear among residents and aid workers.
Sudan’s national electricity provider confirmed that a major power station was hit, resulting in a “complete power outage.” The strikes also targeted the city’s international airport and a nearby hotel, forcing the cancellation of all flights and causing extensive damage.
Explosions rocked the city overnight, with thick black smoke rising at dawn. “I see a huge cloud and fire going all around the city… it looks quite apocalyptic,” journalist Cristina Karrer said. She reported hearing additional blasts in what has become the most serious escalation in Port Sudan since the conflict began.
Witnesses told AFP that one drone hit the civilian section of the airport, another struck the main army base downtown, and a third targeted a fuel depot near the southern port—an area now hosting key government offices, the UN, and aid agencies that had relocated from Khartoum.
A hotel near the residence of army chief Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was also hit.
“We woke up to the roar of explosions and were terrified,” said Mariam Atta, a nutritional supervisor at a local children’s hospital. “We had never witnessed an attack before… The fear is constant. As long as there’s an intention to target Port Sudan and vital areas, these attacks will continue.”
The United Nations has temporarily suspended aid flights to the city but confirmed that no UN offices or warehouses were damaged. “We continue to carry out our regular operations,” said UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq.
Sudan’s military has blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the drone strikes. The RSF, which has previously relied on drone warfare to regain lost territory—including the capital, Khartoum—has yet to comment.
Government spokesperson Khaled Al-Aiser said the army was now guarding fuel depots “to the fullest extent possible,” vowing that “the will of the Sudanese people will remain unbreakable.”
The African Union condemned the strikes as “a dangerous escalation” and warned that the attack on Port Sudan threatens civilian lives, humanitarian access, and regional stability.
Before this week, Port Sudan had largely been spared from the violence, making it a critical logistical and humanitarian hub. But the latest strikes suggest a widening of the battlefield as the RSF intensifies efforts to reclaim strategic ground.
The conflict between Sudan’s military and the RSF has already killed thousands and displaced millions, sparking what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
