Sudan Accuses Ethiopia and UAE of Orchestrating Drone Attacks

The Government of Sudan has accused Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates of orchestrating a series of drone attacks, including a May 2026 strike on Khartoum International Airport. Sudanese officials, including Brigadier General Asim Awad Abdelwahab, claim that four attacks since March 1 originated from Bahir Dar Airport in Ethiopia, with the UAE allegedly providing the drones. These strikes targeted Khartoum, Omdurman, and several other states, resulting in civilian deaths and the suspension of flights for three days.

In response, Sudan recalled its ambassador from Ethiopia and warned of a potential open confrontation. The Sudanese Armed Forces further alleged that Ethiopia hosts training camps for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and serves as a transit route for arms shipments. The RSF is suspected by several Sudanese entities of executing the airport attack, which the United Nations warned disrupts vital humanitarian aid.

Ethiopia has firmly rejected these claims as baseless, suggesting they are driven by external agendas. The Ethiopian government countered by alleging that Sudanese military actors support Tigray People's Liberation Front mercenaries and called for a civilian-led political dialogue to end Sudan's civil war. International bodies, including the United Nations, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, condemned the targeting of civilian infrastructure and urged all parties to adhere to the 2023 Jeddah Declaration for the protection of civilians.