Sudanese Army Announces Interception of Drones Attacking Naval Base in Port Sudan
Sudan Events – Agencies
The city of Port Sudan, the temporary administrative capital of Sudan (eastern region), experienced a tense and difficult day yesterday following a large-scale drone attack targeting several strategic and vital areas in the city. Among the targets were the city’s airport, a fuel depot, a container terminal at the seaport, and the main power station—causing a complete blackout and paralyzing the city. The strikes also hit a hotel near the temporary presidential palace, military bases, and other vital locations, sparking fires and widespread panic among residents. Many fled their homes near the explosions to safer areas within the city, which is considered the primary gateway for foreign aid delivery.
Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, stated that the destruction of military and civilian facilities in Port Sudan “will only make us stronger.” In a televised speech, he added, “The Sudanese people will prevail, and the (Rapid Support Forces) attacks do not scare us… We say to all those who have attacked the Sudanese people that the hour of reckoning will come, and the people will ultimately triumph.”
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia condemned the attacks on Port Sudan, stressing in a Cabinet statement the need to resolve the crisis in Sudan through a Sudanese-Sudanese political solution that respects the country’s sovereignty and unity and supports its state institutions.
In this context, a Sudanese army spokesperson told Reuters today (Wednesday) that ground defenses successfully intercepted drones attempting to strike the Flamingo naval base in Port Sudan, shooting down most of them.
Explosions were heard in Port Sudan early this morning (Wednesday), according to a Reuters eyewitness, who added that the Sudanese army had launched anti-aircraft missiles.
The Sudanese army’s defenses had earlier on Wednesday morning intercepted a drone attack targeting the country’s largest naval base, according to a military source. It was the fourth consecutive day that Port Sudan, under government control, has come under drone bombardment.
The source, who requested anonymity, said: “Drones attacked the Flamingo naval base, and ground defenses repelled them,” noting that for about half an hour, anti-aircraft fire and repeated explosions were heard from the northern part of Port Sudan, where the base is located.
The city was rocked by explosions and fires on Tuesday, amid a continued drone campaign over several days, which resulted in the burning of the country’s largest fuel depot and damage to the main entry point for humanitarian aid.
Port Sudan had enjoyed relative calm since the outbreak of the civil war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in April 2023. The city, located on the Red Sea coast, became the base for the government allied with the army after the RSF seized large parts of the capital, Khartoum, at the onset of the conflict.
