In sudan, where the country’s brutal two-year civil war has taken a dramatic new turn, for the first time, Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces or RSF have launched an attack on Port Sudan, the de facto capital and stronghold of the army-aligned government. According to a military spokesperson, RSF fighters targeted the Osman Digna Air Base, a goods warehouse, and other civilian sites in the Red Sea port city using suicide drones.

Thick smoke was seen rising from the city’s airport, but so far, officials report no casualties and only limited damage.

Port Sudan had until now been a rare haven of stability in the conflict. After fighting engulfed the capital Khartoum last year, Sudan’s army-led government relocated its operations to Port Sudan. The city also became a refuge for hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians and the base for United Nations agencies.

But today’s strike signals a dangerous escalation, as the RSF extends its reach far beyond its usual battlegrounds. Just yesterday, military sources reported a rare drone attack on Kassala, a city near Sudan’s eastern border with Eritrea—nearly 400 kilometers from RSF-controlled territory.

Since the war erupted in April 2023, Sudan has been effectively split in two. The army, under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, controls the country’s center, north, and east. Meanwhile, the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, holds sway over nearly all of Darfur in the west and parts of the south.

Tens of thousands have been killed in the conflict, and more than 13 million people displaced, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. In February, the RSF and allied groups signed a charter in Kenya outlining plans to form a rival government, raising fears of a deepening political divide.

As the fighting intensifies and spreads, the international community is watching closely to see whether Port Sudan remains a safe zone—or becomes the next front line. We’ll continue to monitor this developing story.

Reporting by Ehud Jones.