In Port Sudan, a series of explosions led to a fire reported on Monday, calling into question an assessment that the city was currently safe due to the escalating fighting between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Sources say RSF drone strikes caused the explosions, hitting several targets, including a fuel depot and a military base near the international airport. The RSF has not claimed responsibility.
It is important to note that Port Sudan, typically a key port on the Red Sea for goods leaving Sudan, has also served as a safe haven for thousands who fled violence in the country. However, the explosions of today will place innocents in much greater danger and have damaged infrastructure that may impede an already precarious humanitarian corridor for the millions of people who need humanitarian assistance in Sudan.
Read more: 56 Killed, 158 Injured in a Paramilitary Attack in Sudan’s Omdurman
Both the United Nations and regional countries condemned the RSF drone strikes and called on both sides to comply with international humanitarian law and to stay out of or avoid civilian areas wherever possible.
The civil war began in April 2023, when the army started fighting the RSF. Reports confirm that the conflict has displaced 12 million people so far.
Credible observers have accused both sides of blocking humanitarian aid and attacking civilians. New accounts of this violence keep surfacing from inside the country.
With the conflict still developing, international agencies are increasing their humanitarian and diplomatic pressure while humanitarian aid becomes more essential. As developments unfold, there should be additional news to report in the next several days.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for latest news and updates