Smoke rises after a drone attack in Port Sudan, eastern Sudan, on May 6, 2025. The drone attacks on Tuesday struck strategic sites in Port Sudan, a port city on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan, including the international airport, a hotel near the temporary presidential palace, and an oil export port, according to eyewitnesses. (Sudanese Ministry of Culture and Information/Handout via Xinhua)
KHARTOUM, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Drone attacks on Tuesday struck strategic sites in Port Sudan, a port city on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan, including an international airport, a hotel near the temporary presidential palace, and an oil export port, according to eyewitnesses.
Although no group has officially claimed responsibility, the military has blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the drone attacks which started on Sunday.
A witness reported a massive explosion at a warehouse south of the city, while another witness said a drone targeted the Marina Hotel near the presidential complex.
An airport official, who declined to be named, told Xinhua that the civilian side of Port Sudan International Airport was struck, forcing the cancellation of all scheduled flights.
Activists released footage showing thick columns of smoke rising over Port Sudan, which has now endured drone attacks for three consecutive days.
In a related development, Sudan's Electricity Company announced that the Port Sudan power transformer station was also targeted by drones this morning, leading to a complete power outage.
"This is part of a systematic targeting of electricity stations, which negatively impacts services to citizens, including water and health services," the company said in a statement.
The Sudanese government has condemned what it described as "terrorist drone attacks."
"I have just visited the fuel depots at the southern port in Port Sudan, which were subjected to a criminal and terrorist attack this morning by drones launched by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia," Khalid Ali Aleisir, Sudanese government spokesman, said in a statement.
He assured that the country's civil defense forces and security agencies were fully carrying out their duties, stressing that the Sudanese people would not be intimidated by such unlawful acts.
The RSF has not yet commented on the attacks in Port Sudan.
On May 4, the RSF launched drone attacks on Port Sudan for the first time, targeting a military airbase and civilian facilities, while on May 5, drones attacked a fuel depot in the city, completely destroying it, according to the Sudanese Ministry of Energy and Petroleum.
Since May 2023, key government institutions have been relocated to Port Sudan, which became the de facto administrative center of the country. Port Sudan also hosts UN agencies and shelters hundreds of thousands of displaced people. The city's international airport has been the hub for flights to and from the country.
Recently, the RSF has intensified drone attacks on military sites and vital facilities within army-controlled areas.
Meanwhile, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have made notable advances in recent months. In March 2025, the SAF recaptured central Khartoum, including the presidential palace, Khartoum International Airport, and other strategic locations.
Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating conflict between the SAF and the RSF since mid-April 2023, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives, with the exact toll unknown. The International Organization for Migration estimates over 15 million people have been displaced in the conflict, both within Sudan and abroad. ■
Smoke rises after a drone attack in Port Sudan, eastern Sudan, on May 6, 2025. The drone attacks on Tuesday struck strategic sites in Port Sudan, a port city on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan, including the international airport, a hotel near the temporary presidential palace, and an oil export port, according to eyewitnesses. (Sudanese Ministry of Culture and Information/Handout via Xinhua)
Smoke rises after a drone attack in Port Sudan, eastern Sudan, on May 6, 2025. The drone attacks on Tuesday struck strategic sites in Port Sudan, a port city on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan, including the international airport, a hotel near the temporary presidential palace, and an oil export port, according to eyewitnesses. (Sudanese Ministry of Culture and Information/Handout via Xinhua)
Firefighters battle a fire after a drone attack on a fuel depot in Port Sudan, eastern Sudan, on May 6, 2025. The drone attacks on Tuesday struck strategic sites in Port Sudan, a port city on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan, including the international airport, a hotel near the temporary presidential palace, and an oil export port, according to eyewitnesses. (Sudanese Ministry of Culture and Information/Handout via Xinhua)
Firefighters battle a fire after a drone attack on a fuel depot in Port Sudan, eastern Sudan, on May 6, 2025. The drone attacks on Tuesday struck strategic sites in Port Sudan, a port city on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan, including the international airport, a hotel near the temporary presidential palace, and an oil export port, according to eyewitnesses. (Sudanese Ministry of Culture and Information/Handout via Xinhua)