Sudan army repels drone strikes on eastern dams, strikes hit Blue Nile
Wrekage of a drone downed in near Atbara and Setit dam complex, Gedaref state, on September 15, 2026
September 15, 2026 (AL-FASHAGA, Gedaref) – The Sudanese army repelled a drone attack on Tuesday targeting critical hydroelectric and irrigation dams near the Ethiopian border, military and local sources said, as separate drone strikes killed four people in the south-east.
Air defences shot down one-way attack drones aimed at the Upper Atbara and Setit dam complex in Gedaref state and the nearby Khashm al-Girba dam in Kassala state, causing no casualties or structural damage.
The attempted strikes came two days after Sudanese general Yasir al-Atta accused neighbouring Ethiopia of trying to seize border territories, including the fertile al-Fashaga farming region and swathes of Blue Nile state.
Further south in Blue Nile, four people were killed and several wounded when drone strikes hit the regional capital of Ed Damazin on Sunday and Monday nights, military sources said.
Footage released by the army’s 4th Infantry Division showed senior commanders inspecting damage to fuel depots and civilian infrastructure in Ed Damazin, home to the Roseires Dam, Sudan’s second-largest power-generating station.
The army has been locked in war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023, with the conflict recently expanding across eastern and southern regions.
The RSF has intensified long-range drone strikes on army-held infrastructure, hitting power grids, fuel depots, and government facilities across several states.
Clashes in Blue Nile escalated earlier this year after the RSF and allied Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) fighters seized territory along the frontier with Ethiopia and South Sudan.