Sudan has formally lodged complaints against Ethiopia with the United Nations Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, accusing Addis Ababa of enabling deadly drone attacks on its territory. The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated late Sunday that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group has been using Ethiopian territory to conduct "brazen aggression" against civilian sites and power stations.

These accusations come amidst a protracted civil war between Sudan's military and the RSF, which began in April 2023. Sudan's military has consistently alleged Ethiopian complicity, while Ethiopia has, in turn, accused Sudan of supporting rebels linked to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Khartoum has denied these counter-accusations.

A report accompanying the complaint, issued by Sudan’s army-led Transitional Sovereignty Council, details 70 assaults involving 187 one-way attack drones between February 15 and October 27. These strikes reportedly resulted in the deaths or injuries of 484 civilians and killed 176 Sudanese soldiers, with an additional 200 soldiers wounded.

The report specifically identifies launch sites within Ethiopia, including Asosa Airport in the west, the Kurmuk-Gizen border area, and Bahir Dar airbase in the northwestern Amhara region. The ministry asserts that these actions "place Ethiopia before international law," highlighting the gravity of the alleged incursions.

Incidents cited in the report include an October 9 attack on displaced families in Wad el-Mahi, near the Ethiopian border, which allegedly killed 30 civilians, including 26 women and four children, and wounded 100. The report also notes that October alone saw 28 attacks carried out by 97 drones.

These developments follow recent condemnations from the United Nations. A spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed being "appalled" by the impact of drone strikes in Sudan, particularly after a separate market attack in RSF-controlled Darfur killed over 100 people. The UN chief has "strongly condemned the escalating drone attacks in Sudan by the parties to the conflict and the catastrophic toll these attacks are inflicting on civilians," emphasizing that such strikes constitute violations of international humanitarian law.

The Sudanese military’s allegations point to a significant escalation in the conflict, implicating a neighboring country in the ongoing violence. The nature of the drone attacks, as described, suggests a deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure and populations, raising serious concerns about humanitarian law violations.

Further details regarding Ethiopia's response to these specific accusations from Sudan, beyond their general denials of aiding the RSF, remain unclear. The involvement of international bodies like the UN Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council indicates a potential for diplomatic pressure and further investigation into the alleged cross-border attacks.