Gunfire in Port Sudan amid tensions between army and Beja armed group

Army forcibly dismantle a checkpoint

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Port Sudan witnessed a brief exchange of gunfire Monday night between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and gunmen loyal to Dirar Ahmed Dirar, known as Shaybah Dirar, head of the Alliance of Eastern Sudan Parties and Movements.

Port Sudan has become effectively the alternative capital of Sudan following the capture of most of the capital Khartoum by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have vowed to topple the military government led by Abdel Fatah al-Burhan, the army commander-in-chief.

Government ministries, diplomatic missions, humanitarian organizations, and many citizens have relocated to Port Sudan due to the battles in Khartoum. It is therefore important for the army to maintain good relations with Dirar’s group, which is an armed political party influential in the port city, and a successor to the former Beja Congress, an historic armed opposition group.

Although the group has aligned itself with Sudan’s army in the current conflict, the incident Monday night suggests growing tensio…