Drone attack kills nine at Sudan Shield Forces camp

May 18, 2025 (AL-BUTANA) – Nine people, including seven military personnel, were killed and 14 others injured when a drone attacked a camp belonging to the Sudan Shield Forces in the Al-Butana plain area on Sunday, the group said.

The Sudan Shield Forces, which are based in the Al-Butana areas of Al-Jazirah and Gedaref states, fight alongside the Sudanese army. Their commander, Abu Agla Keikel, defected from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in October 2024, a move that helped the army and its allies regain control of Al-Jazirah state and most of Khartoum state.

A statement posted on the official Facebook page of the Sudan Shield Forces said the drone attack targeted facilities at their camp at Jabal Al-Abaytor in central Al-Butana. The statement said seven soldiers were killed and 14 others wounded.

The group also published a list naming nine individuals who died in the attack.

The strike on the Sudan Shield Forces camp is believed to be the first of its kind against the group. It follows a pattern of drone attacks attributed to the RSF against military and civilian targets across Sudan since the start of the year.

RSF drone attacks have damaged strategic oil depots in several states, including Port Sudan, the temporary administrative capital. Such attacks have also hit civilian and military airports, power stations and water facilities.