‘You cannot hide from a drone strike’: The terror falling from the sky in Sudan
Qwenews.com – In the heart of Sudan’s conflict-ravaged city of El-Obeid, 27-year-old Elsadig has come to accept a grim truth: “No one can escape a drone attack.” This reality has upended daily life for residents, where even mundane tasks now risk sudden devastation. The city, a critical node for trade and humanitarian aid, is home to over half a million people, many of whom now live in fear of aerial strikes.
El-Obeid’s recent ordeal underscores a shift in the war’s dynamics. In late June, a drone strike at a water truck station left Elsadig with a severed left leg. Just meters away, Ahmado, a 42-year-old driver, was killed along with two colleagues and his 9-year-old son during the same attack. “My day started normally,” Ahmado recalled to CNN. “Drones were flying overhead, but I never thought we’d be targets.” His family spent hours searching for his son’s body after the fire subsided.
“When we hear a drone is in the air, we duck under concrete structures,” Elsadig told CNN. “But the strikes come without warning—no one knows where or when.”
CNN is using only first names for Elsadig and Ahmado due to safety concerns. The attack highlights how drones have transformed the conflict, turning once-static battles into unpredictable aerial threats. With tens of thousands dead and over 14 million displaced since the war began in 2023, the United Nations warns Sudan is “on the brink of a more deadly phase.”
Drones Redefine the Battlefield
As of early 2026, drone strikes accounted for over 80% of civilian deaths reported by the UN, killing at least 880 people in the first four months alone. Both Sudan’s military forces and the RSF have ramped up their use of unmanned systems, shifting from ground combat to air-based operations. According to the Africa Defense Forum, this tactic reflects a broader reliance on drones, which are cheaper and easier to deploy than traditional weapons.
The RSF, now employing Chinese FH-95 drones capable of long-range strikes, has also adopted Turkish Bayraktar TB2s—systems known for their endurance and cost-effectiveness. These drones have played a key role in the RSF’s territorial advances, including their capture of Khartoum last year. Turkey, which supports Sudan’s sovereignty, has supplied the forces with equipment, while the UAE is linked to some of the systems used by the RSF. Despite denying accusations, the UAE’s role remains under scrutiny.
“You’re witnessing the future of warfare in Africa,” said Nate Allen, a security studies professor at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. “Drones are reshaping proxy conflicts, making them more lethal and harder to trace.”
The war, which erupted after a 2021 coup, saw former allies Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, leader of the RSF, turn against each other. As the conflict drags on, drones have become the silent executioners, hovering above cities and villages alike. For civilians in El-Obeid, the sky no longer feels like a place of safety—it’s a battlefield of its own.
