Sudan seizes Kornet missile system, smuggled arms on Red Sea coast

September 12, 2026 (PORT SUDAN) — Sudanese security forces intercepted a cache of smuggled military hardware, including a Russian-made Kornet anti-tank missile launcher and foreign handguns, along the Red Sea coast, customs authorities said on Saturday.

The seizure, carried out south of Red Sea State alongside the General Intelligence Service, comes amid mounting fears over maritime trafficking networks funnelling weapons into the war-torn country.

Authorities did not identify the cargo’s intended recipients or announce any arrests.

The confiscated consignment contained a Kornet missile launcher, 1,190 rifle magazines, 15 U.S.-made pistols, and three Brazilian handguns, the Customs Police said in a statement.

The laser-guided Kornet system, designed to pierce advanced tank armour and hardened fortifications, represents one of the most powerful anti-armour platforms currently deployed in modern conflicts.

Customs chief Lt. Gen. Salah Ahmed Ibrahim commended the interdiction, calling it proof of heightened vigilance against illicit arms flows that destabilize the country.

Local anti-smuggling head Brig. Gen. Gadkarim Ahmed al-Fadl said the operation followed sustained surveillance and pledged tighter patrols along coastal choke points to curb arms trafficking.