Social media has been rife with videos purportedly showing Egyptian airstrikes against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan. These videos, shared widely across Sudanese and Arab accounts, depict plumes of smoke and burning vehicles, with captions suggesting the involvement of the Egyptian Air Force. Some posts even included phrases like “Long Live Egypt,” further fueling these claims.
The videos feature the sounds of aircraft, which some claim corroborate the narrative of external aerial attacks. However, a closer examination reveals a different story.
DZWatch has investigated these claims and found them to be unsubstantiated. Our analysis indicates that the videos do not depict Egyptian or any other foreign airstrikes.
The footage, which first surfaced on January 7th, actually documents military operations conducted by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the Kurdufan region. These operations involved the use of SAF drones to target RSF vehicles during ground battles.
Further analysis reveals that the sounds of jet aircraft heard in the videos were artificially added during editing. This manipulation was likely intended to create the impression of manned aircraft and to support narratives of Egyptian involvement in the conflict.
The original versions of the videos do not contain the sounds of manned aircraft, which supports the conclusion that they depict drone strikes – a common tactic in the ongoing Sudanese conflict. These misleading videos highlight the challenges of verifying information in conflict zones and the potential for disinformation to spread rapidly online.
DZWatch continues to monitor the situation in Sudan and will provide updates as they become available. It is crucial to verify information from social media before sharing it, especially in times of conflict.
