NEW YORK – Sudan has accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of launching a drone attack on the coastal city of Port Sudan earlier this month, claiming the operation originated from a UAE military base and was supported by Emirati naval vessels in the Red Sea.
Speaking at the United Nations, Sudan’s Permanent Representative, Al-Harith Idriss, stated that the Sudanese government possesses precise intelligence and surveillance data indicating that the May 4 attack was carried out using advanced drones-likely MQ-9 or MQ-9B types-as well as suicide drones. According to diplomat, the operation received logistical backing from UAE warships positioned in the Red Sea.
He said the attack was a serious escalation in Sudan’s ongoing conflict and could represent a direct retaliatory response to an earlier reported they had downed a foreign military aircraft over Nyala in South Darfur. That operation reportedly killed 13 foreign nationals, including Emirati personnel and a Kenya co-pilot. Idriss suggested that this loss may have prompted the UAE to launch the following day’s drone strike on Port Sudan.
Port Sudan, located on Sudan’s eastern Red Sea coast, has become the country’s de facto administrative capital since the war between the SAF and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted in April 2023. While much of the country, including the capital Khartoum, has been devastated by violence, Port Sudan has remained under SAF control and relatively stable- making it a strategic political and logistical hub for the government.
On the night of May 4, residents in Port Sudan reported a series of explosions and sightings of drones flying over the city. Although the Sudanese government has not released detailed assessments of the damage, the targets included military facilities and Port Sudan International Airport. The attack marked one of the most significant threats to Port Sudan since the start of the conflict.
Sudanese officials believe that the strike fits into a broader pattern of UAE involvement in the war. For months, Sudan’s government has accused the UAE of backing the RSF with arms, equipment, and logistical support- allegations that Abu Dhabi has consistently denied. However, multiple international investigations, including reports from the UN panel of Experts, have indicated that RSF forces have received external support funneled through regional networks.
Ambassador Idriss argued that the UAE’s alleged involvement in the Port Sudan attack represents a new level of direct engagement in the conflict, possibly aimed at shoring up the RSF after a series of military setbacks in Central Sudan.
The Sudanese government is now calling on the United Nations, the African Union (AU), and the Arab League to investigate the incident and hold accountable those responsible. If confirmed, the attack could mark a turning point in the conflict- signaling deeper regional entanglement in war that has already displaced millions and destabilized the Horn of Africa.