PORT SUDAN: Sudan鈥檚 civil defense forces said on Sunday they had 鈥渇ully contained鈥� fires that erupted at the main fuel depot and other strategic sites in Port Sudan 鈥� the seat of the army-backed government which has come under drone attacks blamed on paramilitaries over the past week.
In a statement posted on the force鈥檚 Facebook page, civil defense director Osman Atta said the fires 鈥� involving 鈥渓arge quantities of petroleum reserves鈥� 鈥� were brought under control following an intensive operation using 鈥渇oam materials鈥� and a 鈥渕eticulously executed plan.鈥�
The fires caused by a strike on the fuel depot last Monday had spread across 鈥渨arehouses filled with fuel,鈥� the Sudanese army-aligned authorities said, warning of a 鈥減otential disaster in the area.鈥�
The Red Sea port city, which had been seen as a safe haven from the devastating two-year conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has been hit by daily drone strikes since last Sunday.
The long-range attacks have damaged several key facilities, including the country鈥檚 sole international civilian airport, its largest working fuel depot and the city鈥檚 main power station.
A military source told AFP on condition of anonymity on Saturday that air defenses in the towns of Jebeit and Sinkat 鈥� around 120 kilometers west of Port Sudan 鈥� shot down two drones that had been targeting facilities in the area.
Witnesses also reported on Sunday drone strikes targeting the airport in Atbara, a city in the northern state of River Nile.
Port Sudan is the main entry point for humanitarian aid into Sudan and UN chief Antonio Guterres warned the attacks 鈥渢hreaten to increase humanitarian needs and further complicate aid operations in the country,鈥� his spokesman said.
More than two years of fighting have killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted 13 million in what the United Nations describes as the world鈥檚 worst humanitarian crisis.