Sudanese army says it intercepted drone attack on key dam

January 5, 2026 (MEROWE) – Sudan’s military said on Monday it had shot down several drones targeting the country’s largest dam and nearby military facilities in the north, the latest in a series of aerial strikes on strategic infrastructure.

The army’s 19th Infantry Division said in a statement that its air defences intercepted suicide drones launched by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The drones were aimed at the Merowe Dam, a nearby air base, and the division’s headquarters in Northern State.

The statement said all drones were destroyed before reaching their targets and that there were no casualties or damage. The RSF has not responded to requests for comment.

The Merowe Dam is Sudan’s main source of hydroelectric power. The military said the RSF has increased drone strikes on energy infrastructure in central, eastern, and northern Sudan, causing damage that the government has struggled to repair.

The latest incident follows a simultaneous attack on Sunday in El Obeid, North Kordofan. Drones targeted the city’s airport and a thermal power station. Local officials said power supplies were not affected, as the targeted plant was a backup facility and electricity was currently sourced from the Um Dabaker station in White Nile State.

The war between the Sudanese army and the RSF broke out in April 2023 over a plan to integrate forces, killing tens of thousands of people and creating the world’s largest displacement crisis. While the RSF holds much of Khartoum and the west, the army maintains control over the north and east.