The war in Sudan has recently taken new dimensions with reported drone attacks in Port Sudan and other notable cities. The drone strikes in the eastern part of Sudan for the first time have led to the UN suspending its humanitarian flights that have been supplying aid to the area.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) calls for an end to drone strikes that target civilians and major infrastructure, exacerbating the already fragile political situation. The IGAD warns that an attack on Port Sudan poses a threat and aggravates human suffering.
“Port Sudan has long served as a vital humanitarian and logistical lifeline for millions of Sudanese,” says the IGAD Executive Secretary, Workneh Gebeyehu. “An assault on this critical hub further compounds human suffering and impedes the delivery of urgently needed assistance,” he adds.
The United Nations’ Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, expresses concern over the suffering that the drone strikes inflict on civilians seeking refuge in Port Sudan.
“The expansion of the conflict into an area that has served as a place of refuge for a large number of displaced people is alarming,” Guterres was quoted as saying.
Despite international efforts to end the war through several mediation processes such as the IGAD Quartet, the Jeddah Peace Initiative led by The US and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, however, Sudanese desired a Sudanese-led mediation process.
Workneh urges the warring parties to observe restraint and give dialogue a chance. He pledges the IGAD’s efforts to resolve the conflict in Sudan.
The conflict, which started on April 15, 2023, is yet to witness a lasting solution, with 8.6 million internally displaced and 3.8 million seeking refuge in Sudan’s neighbouring countries.
In February 2025, some Sudanese political factions announced the formation of a coalition in a bid to run a parallel government.
