Sudan army repels ‘largest drone attack’ on El Fasher
September 8, 2024 (EL FASHER) – Sudan’s army and allied forces said on Sunday they had thwarted the “largest drone attack” on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have besieged El Fasher since April, and in May launched a series of attacks in an attempt to seize the city, but were repelled by the army and its allies.
Leaders within the joint forces say the city has been subjected to around 131 attacks from the RSF and allied militias. The fighting and RSF shelling have led to numerous civilian deaths and the displacement of over 500,000 people, along with widespread destruction.
“Today, the defences of the joint forces and the army thwarted the largest drone attack carried out by the Rapid Support Forces on the city of El Fasher,” Ahmed Hussein Mustafa, spokesperson for the joint forces in Darfur, told Sudan Tribune.
He said ground defences shot down around 30 drones, some carrying 120mm and 85mm shells, while others were reconnaissance drones equipped for photography. He added that the drones were flying over northeastern neighbourhoods before being intercepted and downed.
Mustafa said the joint forces destroyed 14 of the drones, while the army destroyed around 16.
Airstrikes continue
Separately, witnesses told Sudan Tribune that warplanes continued to target RSF positions in the eastern, northern, and southern parts of El Fasher.
The witnesses said they heard loud explosions and saw smoke rising early on Sunday morning as a result of the bombing, which targeted stationary and moving targets in the eastern part of the city, largely controlled by the RSF.
Over the past three weeks, the air force has intensified its targeting of cities under RSF control in Darfur, Al Jazirah, Sennar, and Khartoum state, causing a high number of casualties.
The ongoing airstrikes have drawn sharp criticism from political forces, armed movements, and protest groups, who have called for a no-fly zone and a ban on targeting civilians.