Ankara: The Sudanese army announced on Thursday that it had successfully shot down a strategic drone that entered Sudanese airspace from the direction of Ethiopia. The unmanned aerial vehicle was intercepted and destroyed in the vicinity north of Sarkam, located in Sudan's Blue Nile state, after it crossed the border.

According to Anadolu Agency, the army's General Command issued a statement confirming the incident. The statement highlighted that the drone was identified as a strategic unmanned aircraft, although no additional details on the drone's specifications or origin were provided. This development underscores the ongoing tension in the region, particularly in the strategically significant Blue Nile State, which shares a border with Ethiopia.

The incident comes amid a broader conflict that has engulfed Sudan since April 2023, pitting the national army against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This ongoing war has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands and the displacement of approximately 13 million people, based on estimates from the United Nations and other international bodies.