The key facts

  • Sudanese army air defenses reported intercepting an FH-95 drone south of Ayal-Bakhit in West Kordofan
  • Who launched the drone and what its target was is not specified in the statement
  • According to the army, this is at least the fifth drone shot down in the state in a week

Drone interception in West Kordofan

Sudanese armed forces reported on Wednesday that their air defenses shot down an enemy drone south of Ayal-Bakhit in West Kordofan state. According to the army's General Command, the FH-95 drone was intercepted in the early hours of Wednesday. The statement did not specify who launched the aircraft or what its intended target was.

Context: a series of downed drones and an ongoing conflict

The interception came amid intensified fighting in West Kordofan, where the army is advancing against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Earlier, on Sunday, the army reported downing an FH-95 drone east of Wad Banda — according to its figures, it was the fourth drone shot down in the state in a week. The conflict between the army and the RSF has been ongoing since April 2023; according to UN and international organizations' estimates, it has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced around 13 million people.