Turkey Supplies Drones and Weapons to Sudanese Army, Used to Kill Civilians and Displace Them

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Media reports have revealed that the Sudanese army has received “Bayraktar” drones from Turkey, a development that could give General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan‘s forces an aerial advantage over the Rapid Support Forces. Western reports had previously mentioned that Sudanese forces also received drones from Iran, as both Ankara and Tehran seek to strengthen their influence in Sudan through military support.

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The acquisition of Turkish drones by the Sudanese army does not seem surprising, given Turkey’s long-standing ties with military leaders who worked closely with the former president Omar al-Bashir, and its connections to the Islamic movement and the Muslim Brotherhood that dominated Sudan for nearly three decades.

Turkey also has strong ties with the Islamic movement, which it supports in its efforts to return to the political scene by backing the army leadership, with prominent figures from the previous regime, prior to the army’s removal of Omar al-Bashir and its subsequent control over the country following mass protests.

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A member of the Sudanese armed forces revealed to “North Africa News” and “Sudan Tribune” websites that “Bayraktar” drones were first deployed last month, with their activity currently limited to the Khartoum area.

According to the same source, the “Bayraktar” drones possess exceptional capabilities, including the ability to fly up to 27,000 feet with a maximum takeoff weight of 650 kilograms. They are among the most advanced drones available.

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The source also noted that the Sudanese army had recently destroyed 50% of the Rapid Support Forces‘ artillery thanks to the use of Turkish “Bayraktar” drones. Sudanese Sovereign Council President and Army Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited Ankara in September 2023, meeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in search of military support after his forces’ losses escalated, and they lost control of several key positions taken by the Rapid Support Forces.

Turkey aims to leverage the conflict in Sudan to increase its influence, a process made easier by former president Omar al-Bashir, who facilitated agreements for economic and military cooperation, including the management of the strategic Suakin port on the Red Sea.

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Since the fall of al-Bashir‘s regime, Ankara, described as the “primary ally” of the Muslim Brotherhood, has intensified its efforts to protect its interests and investments in Sudan, a key gateway for Turkish geopolitical interests.

On the ground, the Sudanese army announced today that it had regained control of the town of Um al-Qura in the state of the Jazeera (central Sudan). Defense Minister Yassine Ibrahim Yassine stated that “the army is moving to the outskirts of the town of Um Rawaba in North Kordofan state (south)” and expressed hope that military operations would continue until the total defeat of the rebel militias.

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In another development, Sudanese activists reported today the death of two people and the injury of 12 others in the Zamzam displaced persons camp in El Fasher, following artillery shelling by the Rapid Support Forces.

Zamzam camp is one of the largest displaced persons camps in Darfur, with a high population density. In August, the UN declared it a famine zone, according to UNICEF.

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The Rapid Support Forces denied involvement in the attack on the Zamzam camp, calling the accusation an attempt to divert attention from their own crimes, with their forces using civilians as human shields.

Since April 2023, the war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces has claimed more than 20,000 lives and displaced over 14 million people, according to estimates from the UN and local authorities. International calls to end the war are growing, warning of a worsening humanitarian catastrophe, with fighting spreading across 13 of Sudan’s 18 states.

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