Addis Abeba — Sudan has accused Ethiopian authorities of allowing drones to enter its airspace from Ethiopian territory and strike locations inside the country, warning of consequences and asserting its right to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In a press release issued on Monday, 02 March 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the Government of Sudan had been monitoring what it described as the "entry of drones from within Ethiopian territory" throughout February and early March.
According to the statement, carried by the state-run Sudan News Agency, the drones were alleged to have targeted sites inside Sudan. The ministry characterized the reported incidents as "hostile behavior" that is "reprehensible and unacceptable," describing them as a "flagrant violation" of Sudan's sovereignty and a "clear act of aggression" against the Sudanese state.
Khartoum warned Ethiopian authorities of what it called the consequences of such acts and reaffirmed Sudan's right to defend its sovereignty "by all means necessary" to counter the alleged attacks.
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Ethiopian authorities have not yet publicly responded to the accusation.
It is the first time that Ethiopia has been officially accused of interference in Sudan's nearly three-year-long war, in which the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been fighting the regular army.
At a UN Security Council meeting late last month, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said there was no ceasefire in Sudan because "military men still convince themselves" victory is possible while they continue to secure "ever more lethal weapons".
She added that "external support from at least a dozen states", in funding, manufacturing, transit and training, was fuelling the war.
At the same session, the Egyptian ambassador to the UN, Ihab Awad, said there were "documented reports" that one of Sudan's neighbours had set up a camp to train and arm militias and facilitate their movements.
According to a recent study by the International Crisis Group on tensions in the Horn of Africa, Sudanese officials accused the United Arab Emirates of an increase since November 2025 of arms shipments to Ethiopia intended for the RSF.
The UAE has been widely accused, including in United Nations reports, of supporting the RSF via neighbouring countries, though Abu Dhabi has strenuously denied the accusations.
Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, meanwhile, enjoys the support of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
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In February, UN rights chief Volker Turk warned that the killing of civilians in Sudan's war had more than doubled in 2025.
"This war is ugly. It's bloody and it's senseless," Volker Turk told the UN Human Rights Council, blaming both sides, which have so far rejected any humanitarian truce. He also blamed foreign sponsors funding what he called a "high-tech" conflict.
Fearing that the conflict could spread, Chad has recently closed its border with Sudan.
