The port -Sudan plays after week of attacks

A massive increase in the water price is only a sequence of a week of air strikes on the city of the Red Sea Port Sudan.

The Port Sudan, which was seen as a relatively safe harbor from the devastating civil war of Sudan, is now of the days of the bombing of the paramilitary group of Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

After six days of drone attacks, the smoke still increases from three fuel deposits that have been attacked. Rescue teams are gathered at the destroyed locations, but they fight to extinguish the fire.

The conflict, which began more than two years ago as a struggle between the leaders of the RSF and the army, has created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world and forced more than 12 million people from their houses.

One of those who fled to Port Sudan is the 26-year-old Mutasim, who did not want his second name to be published for security reasons.

The BBC spoke to him after waiting for hours that a water seller appeared.

The vital goods have become scarce. The explosions on the fuel deposits have left the port -Sudan without the diesel with which the pumps are supplied with electricity that stimulate the groundwater.

Mutasim announced the BBC that a week ago he cost £ 2,000 ($ 3.30; £ 2.50) for £ 2,000 pounds ($ 3.30; 2.50 pounds).

It leaves him and the seven other members of his family for cooking, cleaning and swimming without much water.

“Soon we cannot afford it,” he said that he will get money on the market when buying and selling.

Water is not the only challenge in the Port Sudan.

Daily life becomes normal again, markets and shops are open, but there are a lot of cars outside of the city’s petrol stations, while people are desperately waiting for fuel.

“It could take five hours to get gasoline,” said Mutasim.

It is a situation that many Sudanese have previously confronted, but not in this city.

Until last week, Port Sudan was one of the few places in the country that was considered protected before the worst civil war.

“We came here from Omdurman two years ago,” said Mutasim, referring to the city, which sits on the other side of the Nile River from the capital of Khartoum.

The family cost their entire savings -3,000 US dollars (2,250 GBP) -to set up in a new location.

“We were forced to leave our home from the RSF, so it was a relief to come here. Life started to become normal again.”

“We thought about moving because it is no longer safe here, but it’s so expensive – and where do we go?”

Port Sudan has experienced power outages in the past two weeks, which have been worsened by the latest attacks.

“My aunt is over 70 years old, she struggles with heat and humidity because there is no electricity for fans at night,” said Mutasim.

“We can’t sleep.”

Hawa Mustafa, a teacher from EL-genein in Darfur in the west of the country, was also looking for refuge in the port sudan.

She has been living with her four children in an animal shelter for displaced people for over two years. She said the attacks this week had “in fear”.

“The drones came to us and we returned to a state of war and the lack of security,” she told the BBC.

“The noises of the drones and the anti-aircraft missiles are reminiscent of the first days of the war in el-genina.”

Hawa lives without her husband, who was unable to leave her home due to the deteriorating security situation. She is now responsible for her family.

“I don’t know where to go when things get worse in the port -Sudan. I planned to go to one of the neighboring countries, but it seems that this dream no longer becomes true.”

Another person living in the city, Mariam Atta, told the BBC that “life has changed completely”.

“We are fighting to deal with it,” she said. “Fear is constant.”

Since the beginning of the civil war of the Sudan in 2023, humanitarian agencies have been dependent on harbor -Sudan due to its port and the only functional international airport in the country.

It was used by organizations such as the World Food Program to deliver food support.

“Port Sudan is our main human center,” says Leni Kinzli, WFP spokesman for Sudan.

“In March we distributed almost 20,000 tons of food, and I would say that more than half of them definitely came through the port -Sudan,” she told the BBC.

The WFP has announced that there is currently a famine in 10 regions of the country, with 17 further endangered.

Many aid organizations now deal that these attacks could block the auxiliary flow, which makes the humanitarian situation worse.

“I think this will significantly restrict the delivery of life-saving food and medical care, which will risk further deterioration in the already critical situation,” Shashwat Saraf, country director of the Norwegian refugee council, told BBC.

He added that agencies are looking for other routes in the country, but this will be a challenge.

The city is quiet at night.

Before the attacks, people gathered on the coast and some observed football in local cafés. But the power failure has left the city in the dark and the residents decide to stay at home for security reasons.