Sudan’s army accused Ethiopia of launching drone strikes inside Sudanese territory on Monday, marking a significant escalation in tensions between the two Horn of Africa nations. The Sudanese foreign ministry issued a statement claiming the drones originated from Ethiopia and struck locations within Sudan, warning of unspecified repercussions for Addis Ababa.
The accusation follows months of private complaints from Sudanese intelligence and security officials regarding the alleged construction of a training base for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) within Ethiopia’s northwest. A recent Reuters report, citing unnamed sources, detailed the base’s funding by the United Arab Emirates. Even as Ethiopia has not publicly commented on these reports, it has consistently maintained a position of neutrality in Sudan’s ongoing civil war between the Sudanese army and the RSF.
Relations between Sudan and Ethiopia have been volatile in recent years, influenced by domestic turmoil in both countries. The rise of Abiy Ahmed as Ethiopia’s prime minister in 2018 and the ousting of Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir in 2019 initially offered a period of cautious optimism. However, ties between Sudan’s army and Ethiopia have since fluctuated between open hostility and uneasy truces.
Sudan’s de facto ruler, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has strengthened security alliances with Egypt and Eritrea, both of which are regional rivals of Ethiopia. Burhan has also aligned with Egypt in its dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, a departure from Sudan’s previous role as a mediator. Ethiopian officials, in turn, have accused Sudan of providing support to Ethiopian armed opposition groups, including those from the Tigray region.
Between 2020 and 2022, direct clashes occurred between Sudanese forces and Ethiopian militias in the disputed Al-Fashaga border area, a region east of the Atbarah River and south of the Tekezé River. According to a 2022 report, the conflict resulted in the deaths of 97 Sudanese servicemen and the capture of 17, along with the loss of a Mil Mi-24 helicopter. Ethiopian casualties were reported as at least 53 captured and an unspecified number killed, alongside claims of at least 11 Sudanese civilian deaths.
The Sudanese army now believes Ethiopia is actively aiding the RSF, its adversary in the current conflict. Ethiopia’s close relationship with the United Arab Emirates, the primary backer of the RSF, fuels these suspicions. Sudanese officials allege Ethiopia is becoming a key transit route for supplies to the RSF and is permitting the movement of paramilitary troops across its territory.
These developments coincide with growing fears of renewed conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and a potential escalation of hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Such a scenario could merge with the ongoing conflict in Sudan, creating a wider regional conflagration. The involvement of rival Gulf powers – Saudi Arabia, which supports the Sudanese army and Eritrea, and the UAE, which supports Ethiopia and the RSF – further complicates the situation.
In 2024, Abiy Ahmed traveled to Port Sudan for a direct meeting with Burhan, signaling an attempt to de-escalate tensions. As of March 5, 2026, no further meetings have been publicly announced, and the situation remains unresolved.
