Sudan war: More drone strikes hit Port Sudan as conflict rages

Drone strikes have hit Port Sudan for a sixth straight day Friday, an army source said, blaming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which is at war with the regular army since April 2023.

"Our air defences intercepted some of the enemy drones which were targeting sites in the city," the source said, speaking to AFP news agency on condition of anonymity.

Witnesses reported strikes across Port Sudan, seat of the army-backed government and the country's main aid hub.

The port city, which had been seen as a safe haven from the devastating conflict between the army and the RSF, has been hit by daily drone strikes since Sunday. The RSF has not commented on the latest escalation.

Humanitarian crisis complicated

The long-range attacks have damaged several key facilities, including the country's sole international airport, its largest working fuel depot and the city's main power station.

The port city is the main entry point for humanitarian aid into Sudan, and UN chief Antonio Guterres warned the attacks "threaten to increase humanitarian needs and further complicate aid operations in the country", his spokesman said.

More than two years of fighting have killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted 13 million in what the United Nations describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.