ISTANBUL 

The Sudanese army said Monday that it had intercepted suicide drones by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeting the Merowe Dam, the country’s largest, and military sites in northern Sudan.

A statement by the army’s 19th Infantry Division said the RSF fired several drones at its headquarters, the Merowe Dam and Air Base in the Northern State.

“All the drones were shot down before reaching their targets,” the statement said.

The army said its forces “are fully prepared to counter any threats” by the RSF forces.

There was no immediate comment from the rebel group on the statement.

The attack came a day after similar drone attacks targeting El-Obeid, the capital city of North Kordofan, and White Nile State in southern Sudan.

The Sudanese authorities have long accused the RSF of launching drone attacks on civilian facilities, including power stations and infrastructure in the country’s northern and eastern cities, while the rebel group has refrained from commenting.

Of Sudan’s 18 states, the RSF now holds all five in the Darfur region, except for a few northern areas of North Darfur still under army control. The Sudanese army continues to dominate most of the remaining 13 states across the south, north, east, and central regions, including the capital, Khartoum.

The bloody conflict between the army and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has killed thousands of people and displaced millions of others. Anadolu Agency