Sudan Accuses UAE and Ethiopia of Involvement in Khartoum Airport Drone Strikes

5 May 2026

Asim Awad Abd al-Wahab, Sudanese army spokesman speaks to reporters on May 4, 2026

MAY 5, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan has accused the United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia of orchestrating a drone strike on Khartoum International Airport, a government spokesperson said on Tuesday, marking a sharp escalation in regional tensions.

The accusations follow a series of aerial attacks on Monday that targeted the capital’s main airport, residential districts, and several military installations, including the Signal Corps base in Khartoum North and the al-Markhiyat training centre in Omdurman.

During a joint press conference in the early hours of Tuesday, Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem and military spokesperson Asim Awad Abd al-Wahab stated they had “conclusive evidence” that the drones involved in the operation were launched from Bahir Dar airport in Ethiopia.

“We formally announce the involvement of the UAE and Ethiopia in the bombing of Khartoum airport,” the officials said in a statement carried by the state news agency. They added that the government reserves the right to respond “at a time and place of its choosing.”

Military officials provided technical data alleging that a drone with the serial number S88, identified as Emirati property, was tracked entering Sudanese airspace from Ethiopia. According to the military, this specific aircraft was involved in strikes across the Blue Nile and Kordofan regions before being intercepted and downed near El Obeid in March.

The military spokesperson further alleged that a separate drone launched from the same Ethiopian facility breached the airspace on May 1, targeting the capital’s airport before being repelled by air defences.

Sudanese authorities have recalled their ambassador to Addis Ababa for consultations following the incident. The Ethiopian government has previously denied similar allegations, describing them as “false claims” during a diplomatic summons in March.

Foreign Minister Salem warned that Sudan is prepared for “all scenarios,” including direct military confrontation, to defend its sovereignty and national security against continued aerial incursions.