Damazin, May 23 (Darfur24)
The Sudanese army announced on Saturday that it had shot down what it described as an enemy drone near the city of Damazin in the Blue Nile region after it allegedly crossed the border from the direction of Ethiopia.
The army released video footage from inside a command and control room showing the moment the drone was intercepted, while soldiers also circulated images on social media purportedly showing the wreckage of the aircraft.
Residents in Damazin told Darfur24 that they heard intense gunfire and explosions near the headquarters of the 4th Infantry Division shortly before the military announced the downing of the drone.
According to local sources, the sounds of explosions and anti-aircraft fire began around 2:00 a.m. and continued until approximately 5:00 a.m.
In May, the Sudanese army and the foreign ministry accused Ethiopia of facilitating or launching drone attacks targeting Khartoum airport and sites in White Nile and Blue Nile states, allegations Addis Ababa has not publicly addressed.
The incident comes amid escalating fighting in the Blue Nile region, where clashes between the Sudanese army and an alliance involving the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North have intensified in recent months.
Last March, RSF forces captured the border town of Kurmuk and several surrounding areas near Ethiopia, although the army later announced it had retaken some positions.