The eastern Sudanese city of Port Sudan on Thursday morning faced a fresh drone attack for the fifth consecutive day amid raging fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Explosions were heard in the city and the Sudanese army's air defenses confronted the attack that lasted for 45 minutes, according to eyewitnesses.

The witnesses also said that the drone attack targeted the headquarters of the air force college in Port Sudan.

No information was yet available about casualties or damage.

There was no immediate comment from the army or RSF on the report.

Port Sudan has this week been the target of drone assaults that has torched the country's biggest fuel depots and damaged its main gateway for humanitarian aid.

De facto seat of power

The Red Sea city has become the temporary administrative capital and a de facto seat of the Sudanese government following the outbreak of clashes with the RSF since April 2023.

Sudanese officials have repeatedly accused the rebel group of launching drone attacks on civilian infrastructure, including power stations and other facilities, in northern cities such as Merowe, Dongola, Dabba, and Atbara.

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 people 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.