NORTHERN STATE – The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) announced on Tuesday morning that they successfully intercepted a drone attack targeting the Merowe military airbase in the Northern State. The incident took place in the early hours of July1, 2025, and marks a significant escalation in hostilities between the SAF and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as conflict intensifies across Sudan.
According to a statement from the 19th Infantry Division based at Merowe, the SAF’s air defenses engaged and repelled several drones attempting to strike the base. Residents of the nearby town of Al-Dabba reported hearing the loud sounds of anti-aircraft fire as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s) flew overhead at dawn.
The attack is believed to be part of a broader RSF campaign using drones to target military installations and cities across northern, central, and eastern Sudan. Throughout 2025, both sides have increasingly relied on drone warfare, transforming the nature of the conflict and bringing it closer to civilian areas.
The SAF’s defensive response comes amid growing threats from the RSF. In a speech delivered in mid-June RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, openly vowed to launch attacks on Northern State and River Nile State. Attempting to reassure local residents, he claimed his forces would not include “Shafshafa”, a colloquial term for looters, suggesting that RSF units deployed in the north would be under tighter discipline.
In response to these threats, the SAF, along with local armed resistance groups, has begun deploying significant reinforcements to Northern State. The move is seen as a preemptive measures against possible RSF advances in the region, particularly following their recent gains in strategic locations.
Throughout June, RSF forces advanced into the Al-Muthallath area and the town of Karab Al-Toum, prompting the SAF to withdraw to more secure positions deeper within Northern State on the western side of the Nile River. These tactical shifts reflect growing pressure on SAF positions in the north and signal an expanding front in Sudan’s war.
The Merowe base, a key strategic military installation, previously fell to RSF forces in the early days of the conflict in April 2023. At the time, RSF leaders objected to the presence of Egyptian troops stationed there, triggering one of the conflict’s first major confrontations. The SAF later retook control of the facility, but tensions have remained high ever since.
Sudan’s northern regions, once considered relatively stable, are increasingly draw into the battlefield. The use of drones by RSF, combined with public threats and military advances, suggests a calculated push to destabilize areas previously out of their reach. With both sides digging in, the humanitarian and security implications for civilians in Northern State and River Nile State remain grave.
