BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
Sudan’s government has sharply escalated its rhetoric against neighboring Ethiopia, accusing it of playing a direct role in a series of drone attacks that have struck strategic and civilian sites across the country, including the capital’s main airport. The allegations, announced Tuesday, were accompanied by a diplomatic response as Khartoum recalled its ambassador, signaling a deepening rift between the two nations.
Ethiopia swiftly rejected the claims. In a statement issued by its foreign ministry, officials dismissed the accusations as unfounded and politically motivated, insisting that Addis Ababa had no involvement in the attacks.
According to Sudanese military officials, at least four drone strikes since early March have been traced back to launches originating from Ethiopia’s Bahir Dar airport. Authorities in Khartoum also alleged that the United Arab Emirates supplied the drones used in the, an accusation that echoes long-standing claims made by Sudan regarding external involvement in its internal conflict.
One of the most significant recent incidents targeted the main airport in Khartoum, a critical infrastructure hub that had only recently resumed operations after months of disruption caused. Additional strikes have been reported in several regions, including Kordofan, Blue Nile, and White Nile states, areas that have increasingly become focal points of the conflict.
Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal war since April 2023, when the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces launched an offensive against the national army, plunging the country into widespread violence and humanitarian crisis. What began as urban warfare in the capital has gradually evolved, with both sides deploying more advanced tactics, including the growing use of drones to target infrastructure and military positions.
Military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Asim Awad Abdelwahab stated that forensic analysis of drone debris and flight data had provided evidence linking at least one aircraft to a launch point in Ethiopia, with logistical ties to the UAE. He cited a March 17 incident in which a drone entered Sudanese airspace en route to El-Obeid in Kordofan state, claiming investigators had traced its origin through technical data.
Sudan’s Foreign Minister, Mohi al-Din Salem, warned that while Sudan does not seek confrontation with other nations, it reserves the right to respond to any external aggression. His remarks underscored the growing frustration within Sudan’s leadership as the conflict expands beyond its borders in both scope and implication.
Ethiopia’s response included counter-accusations, with officials alleging that Sudan has interfered in its internal affairs, particularly in the volatile Tigray region. Ethiopian authorities claimed they had refrained from publicizing such concerns in the past in order to preserve diplomatic relations, but suggested that recent statements from Sudan were influenced by external actors seeking to destabilize the region.
The exchange of accusations highlights the increasingly complex geopolitical dimensions of Sudan’s conflict, with regional powers drawn into a war that has already had devastating consequences for the civilian population.
The renewed violence has also disrupted fragile signs of recovery in Khartoum. The reopening of the capital’s airport last year had been viewed as a milestone in efforts to restore normalcy, as government institutions gradually resumed operations and millions of displaced residents began returning home. According to international migration estimates, approximately four million people had made their way back to their communities before the latest of attacks.
However, the recent escalation has shattered that sense. Drone strikes, once concentrated in more remote, are now increasingly targeting central and urban areas. Over the weekend, an attack in Omdurman—Khartoum’s twin city—killed five civilians traveling on a bus. Another strike in Al Jazirah state reportedly killed relatives of a militia commander aligned with the Sudanese army, illustrating the widening impact on both combatants and civilians.
Humanitarian organizations warn that the toll from drone warfare is rising sharply. The Norwegian Refugee Council reported that more than 700 people have been killed in drone-related attacks across Sudan since the of the year. Many of these incidents have targeted not only military positions but also civilian infrastructure and aid convoys, further complicating relief efforts in a country already facing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
Overall, the conflict has claimed at least 59,000 lives, according to data compiled by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data. However, aid groups caution that the true number is likely far higher, given the access to large of the country where fighting continues unchecked.
As tensions between Sudan and Ethiopia rise, concerns are growing that the conflict could spill further across borders, drawing in additional actors and deepening instability in the Horn of Africa. For now, diplomatic channels remain strained, and the prospect of de-escalation appears uncertain as both sides trade accusations and the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate.
Original article
Comments