RSF denies role in Port Sudan drone strikes, warns of Islamist resurgence

PORT SUDAN – Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Tuesday denied involvement in recent drone attacks on strategic facilities in Port Sudan and called for a comprehensive political solution to end the ongoing war.

In a strongly worded statement, the RSF warned that the continued conflict served the interests of Islamist factions, which it accused of reclaiming power “on the ruins of a tom homeland.”

The group said the war had opened Sudan to the influence of extremist militias and terrorist organizations, posing a grave threat to both national and regional stability.

“The April 15 war created a gateway for the expansion of militias and terrorist organizations,” the RSF said. “The continued use of state infrastructure and civilian institutions to wage war reflects an unwillingness to pursue peace.”

The RSF accused the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) of operating “under the cover of terrorist groups,” specifically referring to the return of political Islamists and Iranian-backed militias in Sudan and the Red Sea region.

It stated that the Sudanese crisis was rooted in “the instance of the Islamic Movement and its militias—foremost among them the so-called Sudanese Armed Forces—to dominate power and control state institutions and resources.”

The group stressed its vision for a new Sudan free of “dictatorship, discrimination, and authoritarianism,” and that the country must not return to being ruled by a single dominant group.

It reiterated its call for a peaceful resolution and a state built on equal representation and democratic principles.

Port Sudan has been the target of a series of drone attacks over the past four days. The Sudanese government has accused the RSF of being behind the strikes, which have hit key infrastructure including Port Sudan International Airport, the Bashayer port, and the city’s main power station.

The RSF has not claimed responsibility for the attacks, and instead shifted the blame onto the army, suggesting the attacks could be a ploy to escalate the conflict and justify further military aggression.

The recent drone strikes have drawn wide condemnation from both local and international actors, with several countries denouncing the targeting of civilian infrastructure in Port Sudan and Kassala as a dangerous escalation in the year-long conflict.

The RSF, however, continues to face serious allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in territories under its control.

Independent human rights bodies have reported widespread abuses by the paramilitary group, including forced disappearances and the systematic targeting of civilians. A United Nations report recently attributed the majority of sexual violence committed during the war to RSF elements.

The group’s denial of responsibility for the Port Sudan attacks comes amid growing concerns over the regionalization of the Sudanese conflict. The RSF has accused external actors of backing the army, while the SAF has accused the RSF of being a tool for foreign interests.