Sudan army shoots down long-range RSF drone carrying eight missiles over White Nile

May 30, Kenana — The Sudanese Armed Forces announced on Saturday that they had shot down a long-range RSF drone over White Nile state after a series of aerial attacks on towns in the region caused widespread damage to vital facilities.

The army spokesman said in a statement that air defences “successfully intercepted a strategic enemy drone over the city of Kenana in White Nile state on Friday evening,” adding that the operation followed careful tracking of the aircraft’s flight path.

White Nile Governor Qamar al-Din Mohamed Fadlallah said the downed drone, intercepted in the Al-Hudaib area, was carrying approximately eight missiles. He praised the armed forces for their vigilance and said the interception demonstrated “the high readiness of air defence systems in countering any possible aggression.” He assured citizens that the state’s airspace is protected and that the armed forces remain “the shield” against any drone threat.

The RSF had conducted a series of drone attacks on the towns of Rabak, Kosti, and Kenana in the hours preceding the interception. The strikes caused extensive damage to a number of vital facilities, including a hospital in Al-Jabalain city, Kenana’s sugar factory and airport, and fuel and medicine warehouses in Kosti and Rabak, resulting in significant material losses and disruption to essential services.

Sudanese authorities have accused Ethiopia of providing launchpads for RSF drones, with Emirati support — allegations that have yet to be formally addressed by either country.