Port Sudan: Drones belonging to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeted the Osman Digna air base in Port Sudan at dawn on Sunday, forcing the closure of the city’s nearby airport, the Sudanese army said.
According to Nam News Network, the attack marks the first time Port Sudan airport, located in eastern Sudan, has been hit by drones. The city has served as Sudan’s temporary capital since the war between the army and the RSF erupted two years ago. The RSF also targeted Kassala airport in eastern Sudan with a drone on Saturday.
Five domestic flights scheduled for Sunday were cancelled, sources reported. Eyewitnesses and workers at a checkpoint on the Port Sudan-Khartoum highway said they heard explosions from the direction of the airport. Smoke could be seen rising from the facility, which is located about 20 km south of Port Sudan city.
The attack brings the conflict closer to army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who also heads the ruling Sovereignty Council. He survived a drone assassination a
ttempt on July 31, 2024, in Jibit, Red Sea state. Five people, including students and an officer, were killed in that attack during a military graduation ceremony. That incident was the first drone attack reported in Red Sea state since the war between the army and RSF began in April 2023.