Sudanese Army Intercepts Drone Attack as Fierce Clashes with RSF Intensify

Sudan’s army said it intercepted a drone attack on its Kenana base in White Nile State amid ongoing clashes with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF also launched assaults on Al-Fasher and Bara, using drones and artillery, while the army claimed to have destroyed an RSF cargo plane in Nyala. The fighting, part of a civil war that began in April 2023, continues to cause heavy destruction, displacement, and casualties across Sudan.

Sudan’s army announced on Saturday that its air defense units successfully intercepted a drone attack aimed at a key military base in Kenana, located south of the capital, Khartoum. The attempted strike occurred amid ongoing fierce clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as the conflict between the two rivals continues to devastate multiple regions of the country.

According to local reports from Sudan News, the drone strike took place early Saturday morning and specifically targeted the Kenana military base in White Nile State. Witnesses said that the army’s air defense systems immediately engaged the incoming drones, neutralizing the threat before it could cause any major destruction. So far, there have been no confirmed reports of casualties or significant property damage from the attempted attack.

The RSF has intensified its aerial and ground offensives in recent days. On Tuesday, it launched coordinated assaults on Khartoum International Airport and several other key sites across Khartoum State. The airport had only recently resumed operations after being closed for more than two years due to the war. Its first civilian passenger flight landed on Wednesday, marking what was meant to be a symbolic step toward normalcy. However, renewed RSF aggression has once again put the safety of the capital and its infrastructure in jeopardy. The Sudanese army had regained control of Khartoum from the RSF in March, but the latest attacks underscore how fragile the situation remains.

In a separate development, two Sudanese military sources told Al Jazeera that army-operated drones carried out a successful strike early Saturday at Nyala Airport in South Darfur State—a facility controlled by the RSF. The strike reportedly destroyed a cargo aircraft belonging to the paramilitary group.

Additionally, videos shared online by Sudanese soldiers showed troops fending off an RSF offensive on the city of Al-Fasher in North Darfur State. While the footage suggested intense clashes, the army did not provide additional information on the extent of the fighting or casualties sustained.

Witnesses speaking to Anadolu Agency confirmed that the RSF launched a major assault on Al-Fasher early Saturday using drones, artillery, and armored combat vehicles. The group has besieged the city since May 2024, effectively cutting off vital humanitarian access routes. The Sudanese army has been attempting to break the siege, as Al-Fasher serves as the central hub for aid operations across the five Darfur states—an area already suffering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Further reports indicated that RSF forces also targeted the town of Bara in North Kordofan State with artillery and combat vehicles on Saturday morning. However, the outcome of that assault remains uncertain.

Just two days earlier, on Thursday, the Sudanese army announced it had repelled a large-scale RSF attack on Al-Fasher that took place across five different fronts. The army alleged that foreign mercenaries were involved in the offensive, though it did not specify which countries they came from.

As of Saturday, the RSF had not issued any official statement in response to these reports.

The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which began in April 2023, has plunged the country into one of the worst humanitarian disasters in its history. Thousands of people have been killed, millions displaced, and entire cities reduced to rubble as the two factions continue to battle for power and control over Sudan.