Sudanese army foils drone attack targeting allied group leader in El Obeid

September 13, 2025 (EL OBEID) – The Sudanese army said on Saturday it thwarted a suicide drone attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the city of El Obeid. This incident, an allied armed group claimed, was an assassination attempt on its leader.

The Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) faction, which fights alongside the army, said the attack targeted its leader, Mustafa Tambour, who is also the governor of Central Darfur.

SLM spokeswoman Inshirah Ali Qaddoum said in a statement that army air defences foiled a total of 15 drones targeting Tambour, military positions, and the city.

The army’s spokesman, Brigadier General Nabil Abdallah, confirmed that air defences intercepted RSF drones aimed at facilities in El Obeid and reported no losses. “This childish absurdity will not stop the march to victory,” he added.

The incident comes after the army and its allies made recent gains in North Kordofan state. Last week, the army recaptured the vital town of Bara, a move the SLM also claimed involvement in.

Military control of Bara and other nearby areas is seen as crucial to securing the region. According to the army, its forces plan to advance from their new positions to break a siege imposed by the RSF and another rebel group on the cities of Dilling and Kadugli in neighbouring South Kordofan state.