Militias conduct unmanned aerial vehicle strike on Red Sea coastal town, as stated by the Sudanese military.
Revised Article:
First Drone Attack on Port Sudan by RSF: Unexpected Escalation
In an unexpected turn of events, Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a provocative drone attack on the coastal city of Port Sudan, primarily targeting a military airbase and civilian facilities on Sunday. The military confirmed this raid, asserting no casualties were reported, making this the first known attack by the RSF on the Red Sea city.
Port Sudan has served as a temporary government seat since the conflict between the military and the RSF paramilitary group erupted more than two years ago. Brig. Gen. Nabil Abdullah, a spokesman for the Sudanese military, reported that RSF drones hit an ammunition warehouse at the Osman Digna airbase, causing explosions. Additionally, the attack targeted a cargo warehouse and civilian installations, as per Abdullah's statement.
Video footage posted on social media seemingly depicted plumes of thick smoke rising above the airbase. This attack temporarily halted air traffic at Port Sudan's airport, according to the Sudanese civil aviation authority. The airport has been a crucial entry point since the RSF occupied the Khartoum international airport at the start of the war. Although the military regained control of the capital's airport earlier this year, it remains functionality-challenged.
Remarkably, there was no immediate comment from the RSF following the attack. However, the rebel group has escalated its drone attacks on civilian facilities in military-held areas in Sudan. Last month, the RSF struck a major power plant in Atbara, a railway city north of Khartoum.
This recent drone attack comes after the military reclaimed Khartoum earlier this year, forcing the RSF to retreat to their stronghold in the western region of Darfur. As the military secured its positions in the capital, the RSF advanced in other areas across the country's peripheries, capturing Sudan's largest camp for displaced people in North Darfur and a key town in West Kordofan province.
Activists have accused the RSF of committing atrocities, including street killings and rapes, in the two areas where hundreds of people were reportedly killed. Sudan's ongoing war commenced on April 15, 2023, following simmering tensions between the military and the RSF that erupted into open warfare across the country.
Since then, at least 24,000 people have been killed, though the actual number is likely significantly higher. The war has forced about 13 million people to flee their homes, including 4 million who crossed into neighboring countries. It has also pushed parts of the country into famine. The fighting has been characterized by heinous acts, including mass rapes and ethnically motivated killings that constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly in Darfur, as per the United Nations and international rights groups.
- In recent war-and-conflicts news, the national politics of Sudan have seen a rise in paramilitary activities, as evidenced by the RSF's recent utilization of AI technology in their drone attacks.
- The military, in general-news reports, has responded to these AI-enabled drone attacks from the RSF, countering war-and-conflicts actions in Sudan.
- The first recorded drone attack by the RSF targeted the military airbase in Port Sudan, despite the city's status as a temporary government seat, further escalating war-and-conflicts tensions.
- After the airbase attack, the RSF was accused of attacking civilian facilities, including a cargo warehouse and civilian installations, adding to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.
- As the military attempts to regain control over Sudan, they face challenges in various areas, including the arrest of paramilitaries and the protection of national resources from AI-enabled attacks.
- In the broader context of war-and-conflicts and human rights abuses, the UN and international rights groups have accused the RSF of committing heinous acts such as mass rapes and ethnically motivated killings in Darfur, which constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
