Sudan has, for the first time, accused Ethiopia of playing a direct role in its civil war, alleging that attack drones were launched from Ethiopian territory into Sudan during strikes carried out in February and March.
In a statement released late on Monday, Sudan’s foreign ministry said the alleged drone operations mark a serious escalation in the nearly three-year conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a war that has already become one of the deadliest in the world and has displaced millions.
According to the ministry, the drone launches constitute “a blatant violation of Sudanese sovereignty” and amount to “an outright act of aggression against the Sudanese state.” The government warned Ethiopian authorities of “serious consequences” and stressed Sudan’s right to defend its territorial integrity, including responding “by all available means.”
The statement did not identify the precise locations of the alleged attacks. However, eyewitnesses say recent drone strikes and small-scale clashes have occurred in Sudan’s southeastern Blue Nile state, which borders Ethiopia. Parts of Blue Nile are under the control of the SPLM-N rebel group, which aligned with the RSF last year.
A spokesperson for Ethiopia’s prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters said it was unable to independently verify whether drones were launched from Ethiopian soil.
The accusations come amid growing signs that regional powers are being drawn into Sudan’s internal conflict. Last month, Reuters reported that Ethiopia was hosting a covert training camp for thousands of RSF fighters. Ethiopian government officials, the Ethiopian military, and the RSF declined to comment on those findings, while Sudan’s army also did not respond to questions about the report.
The war pits Sudan’s national army against the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary group. The RSF currently controls much of Sudan’s western Darfur region, while the army holds most of the eastern half of the country. Fighting has also intensified in the strategically important Kordofan region, which lies between the two sides’ main areas of control.
Drones have become a defining feature of the conflict, allowing the RSF to challenge the army’s traditional air superiority. Their increasing use has also contributed to rising civilian casualties, deepening the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
