Sudanese army advances in West Kordofan, says it downed drone from Ethiopia

The Sudanese army advanced into several areas near Al-Khuway in West Kordofan state Friday, while separately announcing that it had shot down a drone that crossed into Blue Nile state from Ethiopia.

Military sources told Anadolu that army troops and allied forces seized several areas around Al-Khuway on Friday morning following clashes with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The sources said the army inflicted losses on the RSF and continued advancing toward the city.

Army personnel also released footage showing troops deployed in areas near Al-Khuway, including Suraif Ankoush.

There was no immediate comment from the RSF.

The army is seeking to recapture Al-Khuway, which would become the first city in West Kordofan to fall under its control during the current offensive.

Strategically located between North and West Kordofan states, Al-Khuway is an important economic and commercial hub, particularly for livestock trading and gum arabic production.

The city has been under RSF control since late May 2025, following battles in which the two sides repeatedly exchanged control.

Last Saturday, the army captured Ayal Bakhit, northwest of Al-Khuway, following clashes with the RSF, according to informed sources.

The developments come amid escalating fighting across North, West and South Kordofan since Oct. 25.

Drone downed in Blue Nile

Separately, the army said its air defenses shot down a strategic drone Friday afternoon in the Dandro area of Blue Nile state.

"Our air defenses managed this afternoon to shoot down a hostile strategic drone in the Dandro area of Blue Nile state that had crossed the border from Ethiopia," it said in a brief statement.

The military did not identify the drone's operator or specify its mission.

On Nov. 3, the army said it had downed another strategic drone that crossed into Blue Nile from Ethiopia.

Following attacks on power stations and other facilities in several Sudanese cities in October, Sudan's government announced that it had filed a complaint against Ethiopia with the UN Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council.

Khartoum accused Addis Ababa of targeting facilities and power stations in several states, saying the drones used in the attacks had been launched from Ethiopian territory.

Sudanese authorities and rights groups have also accused the RSF of targeting civilian facilities during the war, while the group maintains that it works to "protect civilians."

The army and the RSF have been fighting since April 2023 in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced around 13 million, according to UN estimates.