The Sudanese Army says it intercepted a long-range drone near Bara in North Kordofan on Thursday, September 24, as fighting with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) escalated across the region. An army spokesperson said air defence units brought down an FH-95 drone north-east of Al-Kawkiti on Thursday morning.
It was reportedly the second long-range drone intercepted over the wider Kordofan region in less than a week, following several similar incidents in recent weeks. The latest escalation comes as government forces advance westwards towards the Darfur border, prompting both sides to expand their use of drones across central Sudan.
Residents and military officials said the RSF had deployed drones against army supply routes in an attempt to slow the military’s advance. The army, meanwhile, has reportedly targeted RSF assembly points and troop convoys.
In north-western North Kordofan, RSF fighters arriving from West Kordofan and Darfur allegedly forced thousands of residents to leave Hamrat al-Sheikh, Al-Mazroub and Umm Badr.
Local sources said the civilians fled towards Al-Dabbah in Northern State and travelled across the desert to Omdurman following indiscriminate shooting and dozens of arrests. Those detained were reportedly accused of providing intelligence to the Sudanese military.
In a separate development, RSF personnel allegedly closed Starlink satellite internet centres in Fuja and raided Wad Abu Saq village near Al-Nuhud. Local activists said the fighters disrupted communications and detained at least seven residents for ransom.
Humanitarian workers have also warned of deepening food insecurity in parts of West Kordofan, including Al-Nuhud, Al-Khuwei, Ghebeish and Wad Banda. Food supplies in the affected communities have reportedly declined sharply, while prices have risen amid RSF restrictions on major transport routes.