Drones attack Sudan’s Blue Nile state capital for first time in war

March 27, 2025 (ED-DAMAZIN) – Suspected paramilitary drones attacked civilian and military sites in Ed-Damazin, the capital of Sudan’s Blue Nile state, on Thursday for the first time since the country’s war began, residents reported.

The attacks follow a pattern of intensifying drone use, attributed by the Sudanese army to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), targeting sites across several states, including Gedaref, River Nile and Northern states, sometimes damaging infrastructure like power stations.

Witnesses told the Sudan Tribune that Sudanese army anti-aircraft units engaged a swarm of drones over the city.

They claimed the army shot down five drones over the 4th Infantry Division headquarters, an Armoured Corps base, and the city’s airport.

Witnesses reported hearing loud explosions and seeing smoke, but there were no immediate reports of civilian casualties.

Ed-Damazin is held by the Sudanese army, but the RSF controls parts of western Blue Nile state. Also, its allied rebel group, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, holds territory elsewhere in the state, bordering South Sudan.