Sudan Just Recalled Its Ambassador From Ethiopia Over Shocking Drone Attack Claim

Sudan has escalated tensions dramatically by recalling its ambassador from Ethiopia and publicly accusing Addis Ababa and the United Arab Emirates of orchestrating recent drone attacks on Khartoum International Airport. The assault forced authorities to shut down operations for three days, marking a dangerous new chapter in the Horn of Africa’s unfolding crisis.

The Sudanese military claims to have hard evidence that four separate drone strikes have originated from Ethiopian territory since early March, allegedly using UAE-supplied equipment. This isn’t idle speculation anymore - it’s a formal accusation backed by what officials describe as concrete proof.

But Ethiopia’s firing back fast. The Foreign Ministry flatly dismissed the allegations as “baseless,” turning the tables by accusing Sudan of destabilizing the region by funding rebels in the Tigray region, specifically the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). Amanuel Assefa, a senior TPLF official, doubled down by telling AFP that his group has zero connections with Sudanese authorities, and blamed the federal government for its own failures.

The UAE, meanwhile, remains conspicuously silent - though it’s denied every other claim lobbed its way, including allegations it’s bankrolling the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group locked in a brutal civil war against Sudan’s Armed Forces.

What makes this explosion of recriminations so alarming is the timing and context. Khartoum International Airport had just reopened last week with its first flight since the conflict began, suggesting a glimmer of stability. That window just slammed shut.

Alan Boswell, Horn of Africa director at the International Crisis Group, warned that Sudan’s accusation marks an “unprecedented” escalation. Both nations are drowning in internal crises, and now they’re convinced the other is arming their enemies. “This creates a very dangerous dynamic,” Boswell told Al Jazeera, “and risks making their own internal challenges much worse.”

The broader picture? Sudan’s three-year war has become a regional nightmare. The UN estimates over 150,000 people have been killed, with roughly 14 million displaced. Drones have become central to the conflict strategy. Without constant foreign resupply from outside backers, Boswell argues, both warring parties would’ve exhausted munitions long ago.

The SAF retook Khartoum from the RSF in March last year, and more than 1.8 million residents have trickling back. But electricity remains scarce, basic services are nonexistent, and now drone strikes are raining down again. What was briefly looking like recovery is unraveling before everyone’s eyes.