Published Wednesday, 28 October, 11:30 p.m. ET (Thursday, 5:30 a.m. Port Sudan) · Source: Sudan Foreign and Information ministries, Rio Times reporting
Sudan has pointed a finger at its neighbour, and the charge could pull a second country into a war now in its fourth year. Officials in Port Sudan, the wartime seat of the government, say the drones that knocked out power stations this week took off from Ethiopia.
The accusation lands in the Sudan war, the fight between the army-led government and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group. Foreign Ministry undersecretary Muawiya Osman Khalid made it at a news conference on Wednesday, 28 October.
Key Facts
- What: Sudan says drones that hit its power sites took off from Ethiopian soil, including Bahir Dar airport.
- Who: Muawiya Osman Khalid, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry undersecretary, made the charge. Ethiopia has not answered the latest claims.
- Proof: Sudan showed drone fragments and flight-path data. Independent reporters could not verify them.
- Next: Khalid says Sudan reserves the right to defend its territory. Watch for Ethiopia’s reply.
This story is part of our coverage of the sudan war. Dates, times and how to follow it are in our guide.
In plain English
Sudan has been at war since April 2023, when the army and the RSF turned on each other. Ethiopia is Sudan’s eastern neighbour, and Sudan says its airspace is being used against it.
Neither claim has been proven in public. Such accusations matter because they can widen a civil war into a regional one.
What Sudan Says Happened
At a news conference on Wednesday, 28 October, Sudanese officials from the defence, foreign affairs and information ministries laid out their case. They showed fragments of drones the army says it intercepted, plus flight-path data they say points to launch sites inside Ethiopia.
One site stood out: Bahir Dar airport, in Ethiopia’s northern Amhara region. Sudan named the same airport in May, when it blamed launches from there for a drone aimed at Khartoum International Airport.
Khalid urged the international community not to overlook what he called Ethiopian-Emirati aggression against Sudan. He said Sudan reserves the right to defend its territory.
The Strikes Behind the Charge
Sudanese officials say a wave of drones hit electricity stations in recent days, including one at El Manaqil, in central Gezira state, on Wednesday that blacked out the town and nearby areas. Another was the Markhiyat station northwest of Omdurman, the city across the Nile from Khartoum.
They also reported attacks on fuel storage and a pipeline at Bashayer Port, an oil-export terminal on the Red Sea, and on hospitals, mosques and homes in several states. The government blames the RSF.
Our earlier reports tracked the pattern: drones hit the power grid in the capital earlier this week. Blackouts hit hospitals and homes first.
Why This Is Not New
Sudan recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia in early May after a drone was shot down near Khartoum International Airport. Sudan also accuses the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a Gulf state, of backing the RSF.
Ethiopia’s foreign ministry dismissed those earlier claims as baseless. No Ethiopian response to the latest charge was available at publication. The charge came the same day Sudan’s defence minister said more than 20 countries back the RSF.
What It Means for US Readers
Washington follows the war closely because it involves Red Sea shipping lanes, US-backed mediation and a humanitarian emergency. UN estimates put the number of people displaced at more than 13 million.
A confirmed Ethiopian role would test US relations with two governments at once and make a ceasefire harder to negotiate. An unproven charge still hardens positions, so diplomats will watch for independent evidence.
What Is Not Known
Nobody has independently verified the drone fragments or the flight-path data. It is unclear who operated the drones, how many were launched or what the casualty toll is.
Ethiopia has not confirmed or denied use of Bahir Dar airport this week. The UAE role Sudan alleges is also unproven.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sudan accusing Ethiopia of?
Sudan says drones that struck its electricity stations and civilian sites took off from Ethiopian territory, including Bahir Dar airport. Ethiopia has not confirmed any role.
Has anyone verified Sudan’s evidence?
No. Sudan displayed drone fragments and flight-path data at a news conference on 28 October, but independent reporters could not confirm where the drones came from.
Sources: Sudan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Information statements and news conference, 28 to 29 October 2026; UN humanitarian estimates for Sudan; Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs statements, May 2026.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error
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