Sudan Shoots Down Drone and Chad Reports Airstrikes

The Sudanese Defense Ministry shot down a hostile drone on Sunday near the town of Kurmuk in Blue Nile state. The ministry claimed the unmanned aerial vehicle was launched from Ethiopian territory, though Ethiopian authorities have not yet responded to the accusation. This incident follows a similar event earlier in August when the Sudanese army reported downing three FH-95 drones in North Kordofan state.

Simultaneously, the Chadian army placed its defense and security forces on the highest level of alert after aircraft and drones linked to the Sudanese conflict conducted airstrikes inside Chad. On Thursday, aircraft and drones belonging to the Sudanese Armed Forces or their allies bombed a vehicle convoy in Ennedi-Est Province, more than 100 kilometers inside the border. No Chadian casualties were reported.

Both the Chadian army and the National Assembly of Chad condemned the airstrikes as a grave violation of territorial integrity, issuing a firm warning to the warring parties in Sudan. These regional escalations occur against the backdrop of the war that began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, a conflict that has caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced approximately 13 million people.