Egypt, Saudi Arabia condemn attacks on civilian infrastructure in Sudan, call for ceasefire

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) – Egypt and Saudi Arabia condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure in Port Sudan on Tuesday amid ongoing fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Fires broke out at Port Sudan Airport and the city’s southern port following a series of loud explosions early Tuesday.

The cause of the explosions remains unclear, but the Sudanese authorities blamed an RSF drone strike on strategic oil depots for the blasts.

A statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry called attacks on civilian facilities “a violation of international humanitarian law,” warning that such actions undermine the state’s assets and disrupt daily life.

It warned that the latest escalation will negatively impact efforts to reach a ceasefire, protect civilians, and improve the flow of humanitarian aid to the Sudanese people.

Sudanese officials have repeatedly accused the RSF of launching drone attacks on civilian infrastructure, including power stations and other facilities, in northern cities such as Merowe, Dongola, Dabba, and Atbara. The RSF has not responded to these accusations.

Saudi Arabia, for its part, called for an immediate end to the war in Sudan, according to the state news agency SPA.

The appeal came during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the coastal city of Jeddah. It emphasized the need to halt the conflict and spare Sudan further devastation and suffering.

The kingdom stressed that resolving the crisis requires “a Sudanese-led political solution that respects the country’s sovereignty and unity and supports the role of state institutions.”

Since April 2023, the RSF has been battling the army for control of Sudan, resulting in thousands of deaths and creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

More than 20,000 victims have been killed, and 15 million displaced, according to the UN and local authorities. Research from US scholars, however, puts the death toll at around 130,000.