Sudanese paramilitaries on Sunday struck Port Sudan, the army said, in the first attack on the seat of the army-aligned government during the country's two-year war.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), battling the regular army since April 2023, have increasingly used drones since losing territory including much of Khartoum in March.

Army spokesman Nabil Abdallah said in a statement the RSF "targeted Osman Digna Air Base, a goods warehouse and some civilian facilities in the city of Port Sudan with suicide drones".

He reported no casualties and "limited damage".

Red Sea Military Region Commander Mahjoub Bushra told Sudan's news agency SUNA the assault lasted three and a half hours and involved 11 drones.

AFP images showed smoke above the airport area, about 650 kilometres (400 miles) from the nearest known RSF positions on Khartoum's outskirts.

Later Sunday, an AFP correspondent reported anti-aircraft fire intercepting another drone headed for an air base west of the Red Sea coastal city.

In the eastern........

© Al Monitor