Sudan's RSF Downs Iranian-made Drone in Omdurman

Smoke as a result of clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum (file photo: AFP)
Smoke as a result of clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum (file photo: AFP)
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Sudan's RSF Downs Iranian-made Drone in Omdurman

Smoke as a result of clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum (file photo: AFP)
Smoke as a result of clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum (file photo: AFP)

The Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) downed on Sunday Mohajer-6, an Iranian-made drone, on Sunday in Omdurman.

The RSF account on X announced that it was the third drone of this model that the forces have downed.

According to the Rapid Support media, Mohajer-6 belongs to the Sudanese army.

Platforms supporting the RSF published a short video showing fighters carrying debris that they said belonged to the drone.

Western officials and experts told Bloomberg a few days ago that Iran has supplied Sudan's army with combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of monitoring and transporting explosives and carrying precision-guided munitions.

The report said that on Jan. 9, satellites captured images of Mohajer-6 at the Wadi Sayyidna air base, north of Khartoum, under the army's control.

The Sudanese army did not announce its possession of the drone, but observers and eyewitnesses confirmed that noticeable drone activity had been observed in recent operations.

The developments coincide with Sudanese-Iranian diplomatic efforts to accelerate and complete the resumption of relations.

The RSF platform said on X that the drone belonged to the Sudanese army, accusing it of bombing innocent civilians in cities and rural areas, leaving hundreds dead and wounded, and destroying vital infrastructure and residential areas.

The forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, vowed to eliminate the movements and attempts of all remnants.

They said they would not back down from achieving "the aspirations of our people aspiring to freedom, peace, and democracy, in light of a nation where the values of justice and equality prevail without discrimination."

Analysts fear that arming the Sudanese army with Iranian drones will strengthen Tehran's military influence in the Middle East after Khartoum accelerated the resumption of its diplomatic relationship with Tehran seven years after they were severed.



Emirates Airline to Resume Flights to Beirut

Emirates Airline Boeing 777-300ER planes are seen at Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates February 15, 2019. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/File Photo
Emirates Airline Boeing 777-300ER planes are seen at Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates February 15, 2019. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/File Photo
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Emirates Airline to Resume Flights to Beirut

Emirates Airline Boeing 777-300ER planes are seen at Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates February 15, 2019. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/File Photo
Emirates Airline Boeing 777-300ER planes are seen at Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates February 15, 2019. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/File Photo

Emirates airline will resume flights to Beirut on February 1 after a four-month suspension triggered by conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, a statement said on Friday.

The Middle East's biggest airline will first offer a daily return flight and scale up to two services per day from April 1, AFP quoted the statement as saying.

Emirates will also resume a daily flight to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, from February 1, it added.

The Dubai-based, state-owned carrier was one of several regional airlines to suspend Beirut services in late September as tensions soared between Israel and Hezbollah.

A truce came into effect on November 27, ending over a year of hostilities.