OMDURMAN, Sudan — Sudanese army air defences engaged drones over Omdurman on Thursday, marking the second consecutive day that the city has come under aerial attack as fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to intensify around the capital and other parts of the country.
Residents said army ground-based air defence systems were activated after drones were detected over western parts of Omdurman, with explosions and anti-aircraft fire heard across several neighbourhoods.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant material damage from Thursday’s attacks.
The El-Fasher Resistance Committee, an activist group monitoring the conflict, said RSF drones were also seen flying over Omdurman, Khartoum Bahri and Khartoum. The group reported several explosions as Sudanese army air defences attempted to intercept the aircraft.
The attacks came a day after a wider wave of drone strikes hit several locations across Sudan.
Multiple cities targeted
On Wednesday, drones reportedly targeted Omdurman and Bahri in the greater Khartoum metropolitan area, as well as Atbara and Ad-Damir in River Nile state and El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state.
Witnesses in Omdurman and Bahri said large numbers of drones were seen in the sky before army air defence units opened fire. Several explosions were subsequently heard in different parts of the two cities.
In Atbara and Ad-Damir, residents reported hearing sustained anti-aircraft fire as the military attempted to counter the drone attacks.
In El-Obeid, witnesses said the army managed to shoot down at least one drone.
The repeated use of drones has become an increasingly important feature of Sudan’s war, with both sides relying on aerial attacks to strike military positions, supply routes and areas controlled by their opponents.
Sudan News reported that the latest drone attacks came as the RSF faced military setbacks on several fronts in the Kordofan region, where Sudanese army forces have recently intensified their operations.
The RSF has maintained a significant presence across parts of western and central Sudan, while the army has sought to consolidate its control over the capital and strategic areas in northern and eastern parts of the country.
War continues
Sudan has been engulfed in war since April 2023, when fighting erupted between forces loyal to army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the RSF, commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti.
The conflict began amid a dispute over the planned integration of the powerful paramilitary force into Sudan’s regular armed forces, following years of political instability after the overthrow of longtime President Omar al-Bashir.
The war has since spread across large parts of Sudan, leaving tens of thousands of people dead and forcing millions from their homes.
The United Nations and humanitarian organisations have described the situation as one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with widespread displacement, food insecurity and the collapse of essential health and public services.
Despite repeated diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire, fighting has continued, with both the army and RSF accused of attacks that have caused extensive civilian suffering.
The latest drone strikes underline the growing reach of the conflict, with attacks increasingly reported far from the main front lines and raising fresh concerns about the safety of civilians in major urban centres.
