Sudanese police seize SAM-7 anti-aircraft missiles in Khartoum

January 16, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese police seized two Russian-made SAM-7 anti-aircraft missiles on Friday in central Khartoum, identifying them as hardware abandoned by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The RSF held control over large sectors of the capital from April 2023 until the Sudanese army re-established control of the city in March 2025. Residual weaponry and unexploded ordnance continue to be a focus for security units clearing formerly occupied districts.

The General Administration of Security Police confirmed in a press statement that the shoulder-fired, Soviet-designed SA-7 (SAM-7) systems and several fuses were recovered. These man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) utilize infrared homing to target aircraft and were found hidden on the sixth floor of a building in the downtown area.

According to the statement, the seizure was the result of intelligence gathered by the Prosecution of Crimes Against the State and Counter-Terrorism Division. A specialized field team, supervised by Major General Mahmoud Suleiman Mohamed, director of the Security Police, conducted the operation after pinpointing the location.

Police officials said the RSF had used the site as a strategic vantage point to restrict the movements of the Sudanese Armed Forces and allied agencies during the conflict. Authorities have since initiated legal proceedings under the Arms and Ammunition Act.

The discovery highlights the ongoing security challenges in the capital nearly a year after the army’s return to the city. Security forces continue to conduct sweeps of high-rise buildings and former tactical sites to secure the metropolitan area from left-behind specialized weaponry.