Sudanese army shoots down 'hostile' drone near Ethiopia border

The Sudanese army said Monday that its air defenses shot down a "hostile" strategic drone near the Wad al-Mahi area in southeastern Blue Nile state after the aircraft crossed the border from Ethiopia.

Border airspace incident

The military's General Command said in a statement that the drone was intercepted on Sunday evening after being tracked from the moment it entered Sudanese airspace. The army did not identify the operator or provide further details about the aircraft's type, origin or intended target.

Surge in paramilitary attacks

The development comes amid escalating clashes in Blue Nile state between government forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces alongside its ally, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North. On Oct. 9, the Sudan Doctors Network reported that an RSF drone strike on a displacement camp in the Abu Shandi area of Wad al-Mahi killed 31 civilians, including four children, and wounded 19 others.

Sudanese authorities accused the RSF of targeting the governor's residence and civilian sites in Damazin, the state capital, with drone strikes on Oct. 3. The International Organization for Migration said approximately 2,800 people fled 10 villages in Wad al-Mahi locality that same day amid deteriorating security conditions. Sudan has been engulfed in war between the army and the RSF since April 2023, leaving tens of thousands dead and around 13 million displaced, according to UN estimates.