Sudan

Sudan Blames Ethiopia, UAE for Khartoum Drone Attacks

Is the UAE fueling Sudan's war with drone strikes or is Sudan's own military the real arms trafficking culprit?

Published MAY 6

Sudan Blames Ethiopia, UAE for Khartoum Drone Attacks

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Above: The wreckage of an aircraft sits on the tarmac of a damaged airport in Khartoum on April 15, 2026. Image credit: Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-government narrative

Sudan has hard technical evidence — serial numbers, flight data and satellite imagery — proving UAE-supplied drones launched from Ethiopia's Bahir Dar airport have struck Khartoum multiple times. Khartoum airport was just reopening after years of war, and these attacks deliberately targeted that progress. The UAE and Ethiopia cannot keep hiding behind blanket denials when intercepted drone S-88 traces directly back to Emirati ownership.

Sudan Tribune Al Jazeera Middle East Eye Breitbart

Government-critical narrative

The UAE's crackdown on a $120 million arms trafficking network tied to Sudan exposes the sheer scale of war profiteering fueling this conflict — but the real story is that Sudan's own military leadership is neck-deep in illicit arms deals, with procurement committees and shell companies stretching from Abu Dhabi to Washington. Sudan, pointing fingers at the UAE and Ethiopia, is rich, given documented corruption within its own military finance institutions.

Addis Standard The Eastleigh Voice News Rapid Support Forces