Sudanese Army Uses Turkish AKINCI Drone to Shoot Down Chinese CH-95 Operated by RSF Near El Obeid

KHARTOUM, Sudan — The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) used a Turkish-made Bayraktar AKINCI unmanned combat aerial vehicle to intercept and destroy a Chinese-made CH-95 drone operated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) northwest of El Obeid in North Kordofan on July 13, 2026.

According to reporting by Clash Report, the AKINCI fired an air-to-air missile and destroyed the CH-95 while it was in flight. A second CH-95 was also reportedly destroyed on the ground during the same operation.

The incident was part of a series of losses involving Chinese-built RSF drones. Between June 23 and July 14, 2026, the RSF reportedly lost at least five FH-95 and CH-95 drones. An FH-95 was destroyed north of Tawila in North Darfur on June 23, another was lost near Tendelti in White Nile State on July 2, and another was destroyed along the highway linking Khartoum with North Kordofan. A further FH-95 was lost north of Al-Andaraba in North Kordofan on July 7.

The locations cover several routes used by the RSF for reconnaissance and operations toward central Sudan. El Obeid is an important transportation junction, while Tendelti lies along the route between Kosti and western Sudan. The reported losses therefore cover multiple sectors rather than being concentrated around Khartoum.

CH-95 and FH-95

The CH-95 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV with a maximum takeoff weight of about 650 kg and a payload capacity of up to 170 kg. It has an endurance of about six to 12 hours, a service ceiling of approximately 7,000 meters and a line-of-sight combat radius of roughly 250 km.

Its payload options include day and night electro-optical sensors, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), ground-moving-target indication (GMTI) radar, precision-guided weapons, communications relay equipment and electronic-warfare systems.

The larger FH-95 has a maximum takeoff weight of about 1,000 kg and can carry up to 250 kg of payload. Its endurance can reach about 30 to 35 hours in longer-range configurations, and it can use satellite communications for beyond-line-of-sight operations. The platform is designed for electronic warfare, signals collection, reconnaissance and command support while also being capable of carrying precision weapons.

AKINCI's Air-to-Air Role

The Bayraktar AKINCI used by the SAF is a medium-altitude, long-endurance combat UAV equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. The platform can carry air-to-air weapons, including Turkish systems associated with Roketsan such as Sungur and EREN in reported engagements.

Its air-to-air capability allows the AKINCI to engage other large UAVs in flight rather than relying only on ground-based air-defense systems.

The Sudanese conflict between the SAF and RSF has continued since April 2023, with both sides increasingly using larger unmanned aircraft equipped with long-endurance capabilities, satellite communications, precision weapons, radar, and electronic-warfare systems.

The July 13 engagement near El Obeid adds to the growing number of reported Chinese drone losses suffered by the RSF and demonstrates the use of an armed UAV in an air-to-air interception role.

Reporting on the incident has primarily come from Clash Report, with additional coverage from defense outlets including Army Recognition, Defence Blog and Military Africa. The SAF and RSF did not provide immediate independent confirmation of some details in the early reports.

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