Sign in Subscribe
Ports

Escalating Conflict in Sudan: Drone Strike Marks New Tactic in Two-Year War

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As the two-year conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to ravage the nation, a recent drone strike on a military air base and surrounding facilities in Port Sudan has marked a significant escalation. The attack, which resulted in no reported casualties, signals a dramatic shift in the RSF's tactics, targeting a previously untouched area of the eastern region, a refuge for displaced civilians. This development comes on the heels of the army's forced removal of the RSF from its last strongholds in the capital, Khartoum, in March, further dividing the nation into rival zones.

Key Takeaways:

  • The RSF has launched a drone strike on a military air base and surrounding facilities near Port Sudan Airport, marking the first time the eastern port city has been targeted in the ongoing conflict.
  • No casualties were reported from the strike, but the RSF has not commented on the incident.
  • The conflict has devastated Sudan, with over 12 million people displaced and nearly half of the country's 50 million citizens facing acute hunger.
  • A recent study estimated that as many as 61,000 people may have died in Khartoum state alone during the first 14 months of the war.
  • The United Nations has labeled the crisis as the world's worst humanitarian disaster, with famine threatening several regions and ethnic violence continuing to rise.
  • The RSF has previously targeted power stations in army-held areas across central and northern Sudan, but these earlier strikes have not caused significant casualties.

Statistics:

  • Over 12 million people have been displaced as a result of the conflict.
  • Nearly half of Sudan's 50 million citizens (24.5 million) face acute hunger.
  • A recent study estimated that as many as 61,000 people may have died in Khartoum state alone during the first 14 months of the war.
  • The conflict began in April 2023 amid a power struggle ahead of a planned transition to civilian rule.
  • The United Nations has labeled the crisis as the world's worst humanitarian disaster.

Sources:

  • "Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a drone strike on a military air base and surrounding facilities near Port Sudan Airport, marking the first time the eastern port city has been targeted in the ongoing conflict, a Sudanese army spokesperson said Sunday." - 04 May 2025 (Voice of Nigeria)
  • "More than 12 million people have been displaced, and nearly half of the country's 50 million citizens face acute hunger." - 04 May 2025 (Voice of Nigeria)
  • "A recent study estimated that as many as 61,000 people may have died in Khartoum state alone during the first 14 months of the war." - 04 May 2025 (Voice of Nigeria)
  • "The United Nations has labeled the crisis as the world's worst humanitarian disaster, with famine threatening several regions and ethnic violence continuing to rise." - 04 May 2025 (Voice of Nigeria)

Read more