PORT SUDAN, Sudan, May 6 (Xinhua) -- A long line of cars stretched nearly a kilometer outside a gas station in downtown Port Sudan on Tuesday, as thick plumes of black smoke rose above the city and the sky turned an ominous red.
Just hours earlier, a third round of drone strikes in as many days had targeted key oil facilities and infrastructure, deepening fears of a broader crisis in this Red Sea port.
The Sudanese government blamed the latest wave of strikes on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group locked in a brutal war with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) since April 2023. The conflict has devastated the country, killing tens of thousands and displacing more than 15 million people, according to international estimates.
Tuesday's attacks struck depots operated by the Nile Petroleum Company near the Transit residential neighborhood, igniting fires that forced residents to evacuate. Another drone hit Bashayer 2 Oil Port, a critical hub for the import and export of petroleum products.
Gasoline shortages quickly followed, triggering panic at fuel stations already struggling to meet demand. "There is a real fear of running out of fuel," said Abdul-Muniem Al-Rabie, a local driver. "We've been here since yesterday trying to refuel. People are scared things will get worse."
The Sudanese Ministry of Energy and Petroleum issued a statement downplaying the risk of a fuel crisis, saying it had contingency plans in place and assuring citizens that supplies remained stable. But on the ground, the mood was anything but calm.
"The sky lit up like it was sunrise," said Zainab Sidiq, a Port Sudan resident. "We woke up to terrifying sounds. People are afraid and thinking of leaving."
Hours after the blasts, Port Sudan's normally busy streets fell quiet amid a citywide blackout. The Sudan Electricity Corporation said the strikes had knocked out the main power transformer, crippling essential services, including hospitals, government offices, and commercial activity. Concerns mounted that the outage could soon affect water distribution and public transportation.
While officials have not confirmed casualties from Tuesday's strikes, the Ministry of Health said it had formed an emergency committee and warned that the attacks "could lead to injuries and loss of life."
Political analyst Ahmed Sirr Al-Khatim said the attacks appeared calculated to cripple Port Sudan's strategic infrastructure, citing hits on oil depots, the international airport, and port facilities. "Targeting these three critical sectors could trigger an unprecedented crisis in transportation, shipping, and fuel services," he said.
Drone strikes earlier in the day also damaged a hotel near the temporary presidential palace and forced the suspension of operations at Port Sudan Airport. Activists shared video footage of dense smoke columns rising above the city, which has now endured drone bombardments for three consecutive days.
The Sudanese government described the attacks as "terrorist drone strikes" by the RSF, which has not responded publicly. Officials claimed the drones and munitions used in the assault were advanced systems only available to "certain countries," and said details on their origins would be released in due course.
In a dramatic escalation, Sudan's National Security and Defense Council announced it was cutting diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), accusing Abu Dhabi of backing the RSF through the provision of sophisticated weaponry. Defense Minister Yassin Ibrahim Yassin declared the UAE an "aggressor state," alleging its direct involvement in violating Sudanese sovereignty.
The UAE has firmly denied those claims. In April, a UAE Foreign Ministry representative told the International Court of Justice that Sudan's accusations were "utterly baseless."
As drone attacks on military and civilian targets intensify, Port Sudan -- once a rare sanctuary amid Sudan's grinding civil war -- appears increasingly vulnerable. What was once a logistical and administrative center has become a new frontline in a conflict that shows no sign of resolution. Enditem
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