UN aid operations in Sudan disrupted by drone strikes
May 8, 2025 (UNITED NATIONS) – United Nations humanitarian operations in Sudan are facing significant disruptions due to ongoing drone strikes, a UN spokesperson said on Wednesday, citing deep concern from a top aid official.
Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, expressed “deep concern” over the strikes in Port Sudan, a crucial hub for aid delivery and the main entry point for assistance into the country, according to Stephanie Tremblay, Associate Spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres.
Speaking at the UN’s noon briefing in New York, Tremblay said that flights of the UN Humanitarian Air Services (UNHAS) to and from Port Sudan have been suspended since May 4th. The World Food Programme (WFP), which manages UNHAS, will resume air operations when conditions permit, she added.
“These disruptions are impacting the movement of humanitarian personnel into Sudan and onward to other parts of the country, further straining the delivery of urgently needed assistance,” Tremblay stated.
The UN also reported that drone attacks have affected the states of Kassala and River Nile. Earlier this week in Kassala, strikes near the airport displaced approximately 2,900 people and led to the temporary suspension or relocation of some aid activities, according to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
River Nile State is still grappling with a power blackout following a drone strike on a transformer station in Atbara on April 25th. This outage is exacerbating existing shortages of fuel and bread, leading to long queues at petrol stations and bakeries, OCHA reported.
Fletcher emphasized the need for all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law and to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. 1 The continued drone strikes pose a significant challenge to the already dire humanitarian situation in Sudan, where millions are in need of assistance.