The Sudanese army said on Monday that its air defences had shot down a “hostile” strategic drone near the Wad al-Mahi area in southeastern Blue Nile state after crossing the border from Ethiopia.
In a statement, the army’s General Command said the drone was intercepted on Sunday evening after being tracked from the moment it entered Sudanese airspace.
The military did not identify the drone’s operator or provide further details about its type, origin or intended target.
The development comes amid escalating fighting in Blue Nile state between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its ally, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N).
On October 9, the Sudan Doctors Network, a local medical group, said an RSF drone strike on a displacement camp in the Abu Shandi area of Wad al-Mahi killed 31 civilians, including four children, and injured 19 others.
On October 3, Sudanese authorities accused the RSF of launching drone strikes targeting the governor’s residence and civilian sites in Damazin, the state capital.
The latest escalation has also triggered displacement, with the International Organization for Migration reporting that approximately 2,800 people fled 10 villages in Wad al-Mahi locality on October 3 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 and international estimates.
