Port Sudan – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Monday that the attacks launched on the city of Port Sudan in eastern Sudan threaten the safety of navigation in the Red Sea, necessitating action against the regional sponsor of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – in reference to the United Arab Emirates.
Port Sudan has been subjected to drone attacks over several days, targeting the seaport, the city’s airport, fuel depots, the power station, a hotel housing diplomats, as well as military bases.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “These attacks threaten regional security and the safety of navigation in the Red Sea. Therefore, effective measures are required against the militia’s regional sponsor – namely, the RSF.”
The ministry reported that the regional sponsor provided the RSF with strategic drones and weapons used in the attacks on Port Sudan, and also brought in mercenaries who operate these drones and fight alongside the RSF.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations Authority announced on Friday that it had received reports from ships in the Red Sea area indicating disruptions in GPS systems near Port Sudan, which affected navigation systems.
The attacks on Port Sudan have drawn widespread international condemnation, with the United Nations, the African Union, Saudi Arabia, the United States, the European Union, Egypt, and other countries denouncing them.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has followed the condemnations issued by brotherly and friendly countries and regional and international organizations regarding the external aggression Sudan faced through aerial attacks on civilian facilities, airports, and ports.
It pointed out that the aim of the aggression is to destroy the Sudanese state and prolong the war, after the army and its allies recaptured most of the territory previously held by the “terrorist Janjaweed militia.”
The ministry noted that the European Union indicated the attacks “have an external dimension,” and praised the positions of the United States and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, which deals with security issues in the area.
Sudan announced it had cut diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates and designated it as a hostile state, following a prolonged period of accusations that the UAE was supplying equipment to the RSF. Sudan also filed a case against the UAE at the International Court of Justice, which was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, and lodged a complaint at the United Nations Security Council, which has yet to be decided.
