Sudan’s civil war has taken a dramatic turn with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launching a wave of drone strikes on Port Sudan, signaling a fresh and potentially dangerous phase of the conflict. The escalation comes just weeks after the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) declared victory in recapturing Khartoum.
Experts describe the sudden surge in aerial assaults as a “shock and awe campaign” designed to disrupt SAF strongholds and dismantle the perception that the RSF is weakening. The attacks have severely affected basic services, triggering prolonged power outages and water shortages in Port Sudan, a city previously seen as a sanctuary.
“It’s a level of power projection within this region that we haven’t seen yet,” said Alan Boswell, a Horn of Africa specialist at the International Crisis Group. “I think it raises the stakes quite a bit,” he added.
This intensified use of drone warfare represents a growing trend across Africa and underscores the RSF’s determination to continue fighting despite territorial setbacks. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become a central feature of this brutal conflict, now in its third year, which began as a power struggle between the SAF and the RSF. It has since pulled in foreign backers and other armed groups, spiraling into what the United Nations calls the world’s worst humanitarian disaster.
While the army initially benefited from drone technology during its push through Khartoum, the RSF has now intensified its drone activity, particularly in areas with key infrastructure, after retreating from central Sudan toward its western base.
Recent RSF operations have targeted critical infrastructure such as power stations and dams in army-controlled territories. But the sustained assault on Port Sudan has sent a clear message: the RSF does not need to physically control territory to exert influence.
Port Sudan Becomes A New Target
“The RSF is trying to show that they don’t need to reach Port Sudan by land in order to be able to have an impact there,” said Kholood Khair, a Sudanese political analyst.
According to Khair, the RSF seeks a “narrative shift” from the current perception that the SAF is gaining the upper hand.
“It is saying to the Sudanese Armed Forces: ‘You can take Khartoum back, but you’ll never be able to govern it. You can have Port Sudan, but you won’t be able to govern it… We will cause a security crisis for you so large that it will be ungovernable.’”
Kholood Khair
While the RSF has not officially commented on the Port Sudan drone strikes, it has doubled down on accusations that the SAF is receiving Iranian support and has continued to frame military attacks on RSF-held areas as war crimes. Both factions deny the war crimes allegations, though the RSF has faced specific scrutiny for reported acts of genocide and mass sexual violence.
The shift in military tactics appears partly driven by technological evolution. The RSF has employed loitering or “kamikaze” drones—small UAVs with explosive payloads intended to crash into their targets. In one notable attack, the Red Sea Military Zone’s commander, Mahjoub Bushra, reported that 11 kamikaze drones were sent toward a military airbase in what turned out to be a diversionary tactic.
Bushra said the army intercepted these drones, only to discover that they had been a ruse. A separate, more advanced drone—likely with strategic payload capacity—struck the base while attention was diverted.
Although the exact make of this drone is unconfirmed, satellite imagery from South Darfur reviewed by Yale researchers and Reuters points to the presence of sophisticated UAVs. According to defense firm Janes, these aircraft are most likely Chinese-manufactured CH-95s, known for their long-range capabilities.
Jeremy Binnie, a regional analyst at Janes, noted that debris from the kamikaze drones shows variations in design, suggesting that the RSF may now possess improved models that are more adept at breaching air defenses.
As drone warfare intensifies and battle lines shift to strategic cities like Port Sudan, Sudan’s civil war appears far from over. The evolving conflict now carries deeper implications, not just for military control but for governance, humanitarian aid, and regional stability
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