Sudan Blames UAE For Devastating Drone Attack On Port Sudan

Sudan has directly accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of launching a drone and warplane attack on Port Sudan on May 4, 2025, claiming it marked the UAE’s first direct military intervention in the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The UAE has denied the accusations and condemned the attack.

The allegations were made public by Sudan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Al-Harith Idris, during a speech at the UN headquarters in New York.

He claimed the assault involved advanced drones- likely MQ-9 or MQ-9B models- as well as suicide drones and warplanes. According to him, the aircraft was launched from an Emirati military base on the Red Sea, with support from UAE warships stationed nearby.

The Sudanese envoy said that the May 4 attack appeared to be a response to an SAF airstrike a day earlier, on May 3, in the RSF-controlled city of Nyala, South Darfur.

The strike targeted an Emirati aircraft and killed 13 foreign nationals, including individuals he identified as “Emirati elements” and a Kenyan co-pilot.

Idris claimed that Sudan has obtained precise intelligence and surveillance data to support these claims. He stated that the strikes in Port Sudan damaged critical infrastructure, including the international airport, army facilities and fuel depots.

The attack disrupted essential services, causing blackouts and water shortages across the city.

Port Sudan, a key port city on Sudan’s eastern Red Sea Coast, has become the military-led government’s de facto capital since the conflict started in April 2023.

The city has remained under SAF control and relatively stable while much of the country, including the capital Khartoum, has been devastated by fighting. The May 4 drone attack is the most serious threat the city has faced since the war began.

Sudan’s ruling military government, referred to by critics as junta-controlled, has now cut diplomatic ties with the UAE, accusing the Gulf state of supplying the RSF with advanced weaponry.

Sudanese officials say this external support has prolonged and escalated the conflict.

Drone strikes believed to be carried out by the RSF have become more frequent in recent months as the army gained ground across various parts of the country. Until now, however, Port Sudan had not been targeted.

The UAE has firmly denied all accusations. A UAE official stated that it is regrettable that Sudanese authorities “continue to perpetrate violence against their citizens” while trying to shift blame onto others.

The official dismissed Sudan’s claims as “unfounded allegations.” Despite the UAE’s denial, Sudan’s ambassador alleged that the UAE’s support for the RSF has been consistent and long-standing.

International reports, including those by a United Nations panel of experts, have previously suggested that the RSF has received external support via regional supply routes.

Sudan is now urging the United Nations, African Union (AU), and the Arab League to launch a formal investigation into the attack and hold those responsible accountable.

References: Reuters, Sudan Post

Source: Maritime Shipping News