Regional Condemnations of Infrastructure Targeting in Port Sudan and Kassala

Sudan Events – Agencies

Condemnations continue to pour in over the attack launched by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the airports of Port Sudan and Kassala in eastern Sudan. The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, on Monday condemned the targeting of facilities in both cities and warned of the repercussions of “plans to bring down the Sudanese state” on regional peace and security.

In a statement, Aboul Gheit called for full and immediate adherence to the ceasefire agreement signed in Jeddah in 2023, as well as relevant UN Security Council resolutions. He described the RSF drone attacks on vital facilities in Port Sudan and Kassala as a “dangerous escalation of the crisis,” negatively affecting civilian movement and the flow of humanitarian aid across Sudan.

On Sunday, the Sudanese army stated that the RSF had carried out drone attacks targeting an airbase and other installations near Port Sudan airport. This marks the first time in the over two-year-long war that RSF attacks have reached the Red Sea city in eastern Sudan.

The war erupted in mid-April 2023 due to a dispute over the integration of the RSF into the army, amid a political process that was supposed to lead to civilian rule.

The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also condemned and denounced the attacks on vital infrastructure and facilities in Port Sudan and Kassala, describing them as violations of international law and international humanitarian law, and a threat to regional security and stability.

The OIC reaffirmed its rejection of such violations and stressed the need to uphold commitments to protecting civilians in Sudan, as stipulated in the Jeddah Declaration of May 11, 2023. It called for an end to the war and for efforts toward a peaceful (Sudanese–Sudanese) settlement that preserves Sudan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, considering it the only way out of the crisis to ease the suffering of the Sudanese people and fulfill their aspirations for peace, security, and stability.

Saudi Arabia also condemned and denounced, on Sunday, the targeting of vital infrastructure in Port Sudan, warning that it constitutes a threat to regional stability and to both Arab and African national security.

Developments in the Conflict

In a new development, security sources reported that the RSF launched a second drone attack on Port Sudan within two days, targeting fuel depots in the city early Monday morning.

This attack marks a significant escalation in the two-year-long conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army, which has its base in Port Sudan.

The attack caused major fires, with thick plumes of smoke and flames rising from the site as civil defense teams worked to contain the blaze. Military sources told Reuters that the RSF used a drone at dawn to bomb fuel depots, which they described as civilian infrastructure.

Sudanese Minister of Energy and Mining, Mohieddin Mohamed Saeed, said the operation “indicates an intention to disrupt life in the country and reflects the determination of these militias (the RSF) and their supporters to continue targeting Sudanese civilians.” He added that fires swept through major fuel storage facilities after a drone hit a diesel depot, with flames spreading to adjacent tanks, according to a ministry statement.

Saeed expressed concern that the incident could lead to a wider disaster in the densely populated area.

The RSF has not yet claimed responsibility for the strike.

On Sunday, the RSF launched a drone attack on a military base and other targets near Port Sudan airport, marking the first time it had reached the strategic city on the Red Sea, which hosts the seat of government and a hub for humanitarian aid. No casualties were reported.

The expansion of fighting into eastern Sudan threatens the fragile stability of Port Sudan, which houses the country’s main seaport, airport, and the army’s high command headquarters.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been torn by war between the army and the RSF. The United Nations says the conflict has displaced more than 12 million people and pushed half the population into severe hunger.