Angry Sudan soldiers shut Red Sea Suakin port

Suakin Port on Sudan’s Red Sea coast was closed for several hours yesterday, for the second time in a week, after angry soldiers barricaded the gates of the port to demand their goods and luggage, which are being held there. The port reopened after the intervention of senior army leaders.

Yesterday's protest follows a similar closure of the port on Saturday. In the latest incident, soldiers returning from the Decisive Storm operation in Yemen, blocked the gate of the port in protest against the delay in delivering their goods and luggage coming from Saudi Arabia.

The Director of Suakin Port, Captain Taha Mukhtar, told Radio Dabanga, that the closure of the gate led to the shutdown of the port.

He explained that the forces were defrauded by shipping companies, as they delayed the delivery of their luggage for nine months, and said that the port administration could not hand over the luggage without notice from the companies.

Mukhtar expected an appropriate treatment of the luggage within hours after the intervention of senior army leaders by issuing approvals to hand over the luggage.

On Saturday, the Osman Digna Port at Suakin was closed for several hours on, after Sudanese soldiers stormed warehouses at the port, demanding their belongings.