Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on Monday that they successfully shot down an Iranian-made drone allegedly operated by the Sudanese army.
The incident occurred amid ongoing clashes between the RSF and the army in Khartoum and other regions.
The RSF, in a statement on social media, identified the downed drone as an Iranian Mohajer-6, marking the third such drone neutralized recently.
While celebrating their success, the RSF acknowledged ongoing challenges. The Sudanese army has not yet commented on the reported incident, as local media reports suggest an increase in drone strikes against RSF positions in Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri.
The conflict in Sudan has persisted for nine months, with heightened airstrikes in recent weeks.
Sudan has since April 15, 2023 been plunged into a civil war pitting army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against RSF Commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
The conflict has resulted in a devastating toll, with over 12,190 casualties and the displacement of more than seven million people, according to estimates by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project and UN figures, respectively.
Mediation efforts have faced significant obstacles due to deep-seated animosity between the rival factions. Despite Burhan’s administration continuing to issue statements as Sudan’s government, Dagalo’s Rapid Support Forces assert control over Khartoum’s streets, Darfur, and a substantial part of Al-Jazira, once Sudan’s vital agricultural region.
