Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Khartoum (Fides News Agency) – Following mutual accusations between Sudan and Ethiopia, Sudan recalled its ambassador from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
The Sudanese government in Khartoum, on behalf of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), accuses Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates of being responsible for several drone attacks against targets in Sudan. An SAF spokesman stated that his government has evidence that drones have been carrying out attacks from Bahir Dar Airport in Ethiopia since March 1, 2026. The attacks reportedly targeted various areas, including the White Nile and Blue Nile states, as well as the North and South Kordofan regions.
On March 17, Sudanese air defenses intercepted one of the drones north of El-Obeid. Following the incident, experts analyzed the drone's data and contacted the manufacturer. According to the spokesperson, the analysis confirmed that the drone, serial number S88, belonged to the United Arab Emirates and that its control center was located on Ethiopian territory at Bahir Dar Airport. Flight data showed the drone's launch point and route through Sudanese airspace, where it attacked targets in Al-Kurmuk and other locations in Blue Nile State, as well as in North and South Kordofan. The drone attacks were reportedly carried out in support of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which, according to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), receive military assistance from Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates.
In response to the Sudanese accusations, the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry rejected Sudan's claims in a statement, stating that the SAF supports the TPLF (Tigray People's Liberation Front) rebels in Tigray. “The Sudanese Armed Forces have also provided arms and financial support to these mercineries, thereby facilitating their incursions along Ethiopia's western frontier. The activities of TPLF mercinaries in Sudan are a matter of public record, and there is ample and credible evidence showing that Sudan is serving as a hub for various anti- Ethiopian forces. It is evident that these hostile actions, as well as the recent and earlier series of allegations by officials of Sudanese Armed Forces, are undertaken at the behest of external patrons seeking to advance their own nefarious agenda,” reads the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Addis Ababa. (L.M.) (Fides News Agency, 5/5/2026)
