AD-DAMAZIN – The Sudanese army said it had regained control of Bakori and Okleli in the Blue Nile region and separately announced the downing of a long-range drone near Bakori, as fighting intensifies along Sudan’s southeastern frontier with Ethiopia.

Military sources said the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) retook the two areas during operations against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led in Blue Nile by Joseph Tuka.

Bakori holds military significance because of its location in Qeisan locality along an operational corridor connecting areas of fighting near the Ethiopian border.

The RSF and SPLM-N said in August that their forces had captured the Bakori and Sarkam bases, prompting the army to deploy reinforcements to the front in an effort to regain positions lost during earlier fighting.

The latest claims of territorial control and battlefield losses could not be independently verified. Neither the RSF nor SPLM-N had immediately commented on the army’s announcement that it had retaken Bakori and Okleli.

The developments were followed on Thursday by an army announcement that its air defences had shot down what it described as a “strategic drone” near Bakori.

The SAF General Command said the aircraft was intercepted on the morning of Oct. 22 after air defences tracked it from the moment it crossed the border from the direction of Ethiopia.

The military did not identify who operated the drone, disclose its model or provide details about its intended target or mission.

The announcement comes amid heightened tensions along Sudan’s border with Ethiopia and a widening drone campaign associated with the conflict in Blue Nile.

Sudanese authorities have previously accused Ethiopia of allowing drones and military support to move across its territory toward forces fighting alongside the RSF. Ethiopia has rejected previous Sudanese allegations that it was providing military assistance to forces involved in the conflict.

No independent evidence establishing the origin or operator of the drone announced shot down on Thursday was immediately available.

Fighting in Blue Nile has intensified since early 2026, pitting the SAF and allied forces against the RSF and SPLM-N across several fronts close to the Ethiopian border.

Kurmuk and Qeisan have been among the main contested areas, with both sides reporting advances, withdrawals and reinforcements as they seek control of border routes and strategic positions.

Earlier this week, the army said it had repelled joint attacks by the RSF and allied forces in Al-Baraka and Sali. The 4th Infantry Division said it seized 15 combat vehicles and destroyed five others during fighting in Sali, claims that could not be independently verified.

Blue Nile’s strategic importance extends beyond its borders with Ethiopia and South Sudan. The region also contains the Roseires Dam and important transport and agricultural infrastructure, making control of territory there significant for both military operations and civilian livelihoods.

Renewed fighting has displaced communities and increased risks to civilians, while access restrictions and disrupted communications continue to make independent verification of battlefield developments difficult.