Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeted a strategic fuel depot near Wad Madani, the capital of Al Jazirah state, on Sunday, security sources and witnesses said.
The strike hit the Um Aleila fuel depot near Abu Haraz, about 20km north-east of Wad Madani, in the early hours of Sunday.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, witnesses in nearby villages said they heard several loud explosions, followed by thick black smoke rising from the fuel storage tanks at the facility.
Awad Ahmed, a local resident, said a powerful explosion shook the area shortly after dawn prayers. He said flames and thick smoke could be seen rising from the depot.
Ahmed also reported that two drones came down in the Wad al-Bar al-Khawalida area, west of Al Jazirah state. He said one crashed in farmland and exploded, while the other remained active.
Civil defence teams were reported to have gone to the site to tackle the fire. State authorities said firefighting operations were under way.
There was no immediate official information on the extent of the damage or any casualties. The RSF did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Um Aleila facilities are important fuel storage and distribution sites serving Al Jazirah and surrounding areas, holding supplies including petrol and diesel. The depot was previously damaged and looted during the RSF’s takeover of Wad Madani in December 2023.
Control rooms and supply pipelines were reportedly damaged, while equipment was looted at the time.
The latest attack comes as Sudan’s war between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) enters its fourth year. The conflict, which began in April 2023, has caused widespread destruction and displacement and created a severe humanitarian crisis.
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