Sudan Accuses Ethiopia And UAE Of Drone Strikes On Airport/Image @ BBC
Sudan has leveled serious allegations against neighboring Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), claiming they orchestrated drone strikes on its primary airport, labeling the attack as “direct aggression.”
The international airport in the capital was targeted yesterday, alongside military sites in the Greater Khartoum region.
The recent wave of drone assaults has disrupted a brief period of stability in Khartoum, which had followed the expulsion of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) by the Sudanese military last year.
Ethiopia has dismissed Sudan’s claims as “baseless,” while the UAE has yet to issue a statement but has previously denied any involvement in the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
In response to the incident, Sudan has summoned its ambassador to Ethiopia for “consultations,” according to Foreign Minister, Mohieddin Salem.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the attack, as confirmed by Sudan’s Information Minister in comments to Reuters.
The Sudanese military asserts it possesses “conclusive evidence” indicating that the drones originated from Bahir Dar airport in Ethiopia, as reported by the state-run Sudan News Agency (Suna).
Sudanese military officials had initially accused the RSF of conducting airstrikes from Ethiopian territory back in March. They claimed to have tracked a drone, believed to be Emirati, entering Sudanese airspace from Ethiopia before successfully downing it.
A spokesperson for the Sudanese army alleged that they have now linked another drone, also launched from Bahir Dar, to yesterday’s assault.
The UAE has consistently refuted allegations of providing military assistance to the RSF.
These latest attacks occurred just one week after the first direct international commercial flight in three years landed at the airport.
Following the drone strikes, authorities announced a 72-hour suspension of operations at the facility.
The airport has become a significant battleground in the ongoing conflict between the regular army and the RSF, which erupted in 2023.
In February, Reuters reported that Ethiopia was hosting a training camp for RSF fighters and had upgraded Asosa airport for drone operations, a move allegedly supported by its close ally, the UAE.
Both Ethiopia and the UAE have denied these claims.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong