Port Sudan experiences drone assaults as temporary capital city.
TALKING ABOUT THE MAYHEM IN PORT SUDAN, BUDDY!
Port Sudan, homie, has been hit hard by drone attacks for the past four days. These airstrikes are orchestrated by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who are at war with Sudan's army. NPR's Emmanuel Akinwotu brings us this wild update.
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ABDEL FATTAH AL-BURHAN: (In a fiery tone, speaking Arabic).
EMMANUEL AKINWOTU: Check this out - General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan stood roadside in Port Sudan, with the drone smoke in the backdrop, promising vengeance for the shocking city attacks. Over the last four days, including today, drone strikes targeted military and civilian areas, even smacking the airport, hotels, and an oil depot. After the fighting ignited in the capital, Khartoum, Port Sudan stepped up as the temporary capital. The city and Sudan's Red Sea State are home to about a quarter of a million refugees, providing a rare sense of safety. Now, all that peace is blown to kingdom come.
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KHALID ALEISIR: (Speaking Arabic).
AKINWOTU: Sudan's information minister, Khalid Aleisir, took the scene of one strike at an oil depot. The country will fight the RSF and their backers, the United Arab Emirates, he claimed. On Tuesday, Sudan sliced diplomatic ties with the UAE, pointing the finger of blame for arming the RSF. That's backed by evidence from human rights groups and U.N. experts, but the UAE denies everything.
CAMERON HUDSON: These attacks on Port Sudan represent a significant escalation of the war.
AKINWOTU: Cameron Hudson, a senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said it's clear the RSF's stepping up the fight. In March, the army took back Khartoum and most of central Sudan, welcomed by millions looking to return home.
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HUDSON: What we're seeing here is the RSF doubling down on its attack, trying to reclaim lost territory and sending a message that no safe haven exists in Sudan.
AKINWOTU: The UAE is a central player in the war, Hudson claims.
HUDSON: For months, there have been whispers that the UAE has been providing weapons to the RSF. Even U.N. reports documented these transfers. But with all this evidence piling up, the UAE keeps denying any involvement in the conflict.
AKINWOTU: Port Sudan serves as the main lifeline for aid amid the world's largest humanitarian crisis. With all the chaos, the possibility of things getting worse is looking pretty solid, and the sense of safety in Sudan has vanished.
Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR News.
(SOUNDBITE OF KAKI KING'S "TEEK") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
Worth Noting:
You might be interested in knowing that Port Sudan is a strategic target due to its critical role as Sudan's main seaport. But who are the key actors, and what's the UAE's role in all this mess?
Key Players:
Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): Led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
Rapid Support Forces (RSF): A paramilitary group, originally forming from Janjaweed militias, now headed by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo ("Hemedti")
UAE's Role:
Multiple reports and investigations accuse the UAE of supporting the RSF with drones, weapons, and even training. Their involvement can be explained by regional influence, economic interests, or strategic military presence. However, the UAE denies any wrongdoing.
In light of the ongoing conflict, news outlets are documenting the escalating war in Sudan, specifically focusing on Port Sudan. This strategic seaport has been attacked by drones for the past four days, reportedly by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, a key player in the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), promises vengeance for these attacks. The involvement of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in arming the RSF has been accused by Sudan and backed by human rights groups and U.N. experts, despite the UAE's denials. The chaos in Port Sudan poses a significant challenge to the city's role as a lifeline for aid amid the world's largest humanitarian crisis, and the sense of safety in Sudan has vanished. Scaling up their attacks, the RSF is trying to reclaim lost territory and sends a message that no safe haven exists in Sudan.
