Sun May 04 06:47:08 UTC 2025: ## Drone Attack Marks Escalation in Sudan Conflict
**Port Sudan, Sudan (May 4, 2025)** – The Sudanese army reported a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group launching a drone attack on Port Sudan airport and other facilities on Sunday. This marks the first time the RSF has directly targeted the eastern port city, previously considered a relative safe haven in the war-torn nation.
While the Sudanese army spokesperson reported no casualties, the attack signals a major shift in the two-year conflict. The RSF’s previous attacks focused on power stations in central and northern Sudan, largely avoiding the eastern regions which house a significant number of displaced people. In response to the attack, the army has increased its security presence around key facilities in Port Sudan and closed roads leading to the presidential palace and army command.
The conflict, which began in April 2023, has devastated much of Sudan, displacing over 12 million people and pushing approximately half the population into acute hunger. The United Nations has declared it the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. While casualty numbers remain difficult to ascertain, a recent study estimated 61,000 deaths in Khartoum alone during the first 14 months of fighting. The army claims to have driven the RSF from its last strongholds in Khartoum in March but the RSF maintains control of areas in Omdurman and western Sudan. The drone attack on Port Sudan suggests a widening of the conflict and a potential change in RSF tactics.
First Piper 