Tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continue to rise amid the over two-year civil war as the RSF’s targeting of the Sudanese capital of Khartoum and its main airport has persisted. The SAF reclaimed Khartoum from the RSF in March by recapturing the presidential palace and government headquarters […]
Drones Over the Nile: Unmanned Aerial Warfare and Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces | Aberfoyle International Security
The growing importance of drones in modern warfare has been amply demonstrated in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, even though both states still possess manned military aircraft. In Africa, drones have been used extensively in the struggle between Libya’s rival governments, but the first broad use of drones by a “rebel” movement is taking place in Sudan. There, drones are in steady use by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a former state paramilitary that launched attacks on government institutions and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) on April 15, 2023. Only days after the conflict began, the SAF and other state security institutions declared the RSF “a rebel entity” that was fighting the state and ordered its dissolution (Al-Jazeera, April 17, 2023). [1]
Exclusive: Long-range 'kamikaze' drones seen near RSF base could worsen conflict in Sudan
More than a dozen long-range kamikaze drones seen near an airport controlled by Sudan's Rapid Support Forces during a major air assault on army territory in May indicate the paramilitaries have new weapons that could alter the course of the war.
Drones, Wagner Missiles Help RSF Match Sudanese Army’s Might - Africa Defense Forum
ADF STAFF Portable surface-to-air missiles from Russia’s mercenary Wagner Group and weaponized drones are helping Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) level the field in its conflict against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). At the outset of the conflict, both sides were closely matched in personnel. But the SAF, armed with planes and heavy weaponry, was
Sky News on Twitter / X
Sky's Africa correspondent @YousraElbagir examines the situation in Sudan after almost three years since the conflict there began, with ongoing drone warfare and refugees being deported back en masse.Read more: https://t.co/YnqK4tyuCj pic.twitter.com/Agi05elTeO— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 12, 2026
RSF-aligned politician killed by drone attack in rare assassination in Sudan war | The National
Paramilitary group blames army for lethal strike that killed founding member of coalition loyal to the RSF
Are All Wars Now Drone Wars?
From Sudan to Ukraine, UAVs have upended warfighting tactics and become one of the most destructive weapons of conflict.
Radio silence: How the defence of Sudan's el-Fasher collapsed after comms blackout
Soldiers who fled the North Darfur city describe how jamming of radios and satellite phones left troops confused and isolated as the RSF attacked
Sudan drone warfare kills thousands as both sides secure advanced technology - Sudan Tribune
February 17, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Drones have claimed thousands of lives during the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with their geographical use expanding across various battles and leading to heavy casualties and the destruction of vital infrastructure. Both parties are intensely competing to acquire various unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies to achieve breakthroughs across the country. New types of drones have entered Sudan for the first time during this conflict, including the lethal Chinese-made CH-95 or FH-95 models. Technically, the use of FPV and Kamikaze suicide drones has spread between both sides, with heavy usage observed in Khartoum, Al-Jazirah, El Fasher, and other regions. Former Sudanese Air Force pilots indicate that these drones are used to target troop concentrations, light armour, and snipers, as well as to restrict individual movements. According to technical analysis provided by pilots speaking to Sudan Tribune, the army utilizes various models, including the Iranian-made Mohajer-6, which serves as the backbone of its air wing, alongside Chinese and Turkish Bayraktar drones. Conversely, the RSF employs Chinese models and modified commercial DJI drones capable of carrying 120mm mortar shells. Retired Brigadier General Adel Abdel Latif noted that as the war …
Military Drone Proliferation Marks Destabilizing Shift in Africa’s Armed Conflicts
A revolution in unmanned drone systems is reshaping conflicts in Africa, providing militaries tactical advantages but also risks.
Deadly skies: Drone warfare in Ethiopia and the future of conflict in Africa – European Council on Foreign Relations
Drone warfare is increasing in Ethiopia and across Africa. These foreign-supplied weapons risk prolonging wars and can help drive governments further away from
El-Fasher attack: Dozens killed in drone strike in besieged Sudan city
El-Fasher has been surrounded by the RSF for 17 months, as residents face hunger and starvation.
Sahel militants turn civilian drones into deadly weapons | ISS Africa
As armed groups shift away from direct confrontations with the military, commercial drones are increasingly used to carry out attacks.
The drones being used in Sudan: 1,000 attacks since April 2023
A visual analysis into the types of drones, sourcing methods, attack locations and the human toll of aerial warfare.
Shelling, Drones, and Hunger in El Fasher | Council on Foreign Relations
Regional and international actors should approach the crisis in Sudan with the urgency it demands.
The army shoots down a swarm of drones launched by the militia over Al-Fasher - Sudan Events
Sudan Events - Agencies On Thursday, the army shot down a swarm of drones launched by the Rapid Supp
Fanning the Flames
Since the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in Sudan in April 2023, countless civilians have been killed, millions have been internally displaced, and millions face famine. There is a large and growing body of credible evidence documenting how, during their conduct in the conflict, the warring parties have committed widespread war crimes, crimes against humanity, and serious human rights violations, including in the Darfur region. For example, Human Rights Watch, among others, has documented devastating ethnic cleansing in West Darfur. Given the prevalence of such atrocities in the conflict, Human Rights Watch has called for the renewal and expansion of the existing arms embargo on Darfur to the rest of Sudan to prevent warring parties acquiring weapons or equipment likely to be used to perpetuate serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, harming civilians.
