Sudanese Army Intercepts Chinese Drone Near El Obeid as RSF Drone Use Escalates

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) reported shooting down a Chinese‑made FH‑95 unmanned aerial vehicle north‑west of Al‑Obeid in North Kordofan on July 14, marking the fourth FH‑95 downed in under a month. The SAF did not specify the drone’s operator, but the incident occurs amid intensified fighting with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have increasingly deployed drones.

A day earlier, SAF crews used a Turkish‑made Bayraktar Akinci UAV to destroy a CH‑95 drone operated by the RSF in the same region, producing a rare mid‑air engagement between two combat drones. Both interceptions are part of a broader pattern of aerial confrontations that have reduced the RSF’s reconnaissance and strike capabilities.

The drone battles unfold within Sudan’s civil war that began in April 2023, a conflict that has caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced nearly 13 million people. International observers have warned that the surge in drone attacks threatens civilian infrastructure and exacerbates the humanitarian crisis.