In brief
Drone strikes hit three substations in eastern and northern Sudan, marking the 18th attack in a week that has displaced power for large regions. The Sudanese military blames Ethiopia for supporting the Rapid Support Forces in the campaign, while a senior RSF commander recently defected to army forces in Damazin. The strikes have prompted the government to file complaints with the UN Security Council and the African Union.
Cyber‑augmented drones landed on three major electricity substations in eastern and northern Sudan on Monday, according to Al Jazeera, marking the 18th strike on the country’s power network in just one week and triggering massive power outages across large areas.
The facilities targeted—New Halfa and Aroma in eastern Kassala state, and the al‑Ghazali substation in Northern State—saw fires and evacuation of nearby personnel as civil defence teams worked to extinguish the flames. Video footage circulating online depicts the flames and the emergency response, though Al Jazeera could not immediately verify the authenticity of the clips.
Al Jazeera reports that the Sudanese government has described the drone attacks as part of a broader “concentrated campaign” aimed at civilian infrastructure, and the military has counted the Monday attacks as the latest in a string of 18 such strikes that week.
In a statement issued Sunday, Sudan’s military accused Ethiopia of providing assistance to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group it has been fighting since April 2023. The government said it had filed complaints against Addis Ababa with the United Nations Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, alleging the Ethiopian capital’s involvement in the attacks.
A separate development earlier in the week saw a group of RSF members surrender to army forces in Damazin, the capital of southeastern Blue Nile state. Al Jazeera captured video footage in which senior RSF commander Siddiq Ander declared that he had defected, adding to a growing list of RSF defections.
The army spokesperson noted that the surrender “provides valuable information concerning the management of military operations in Damazin, including “Ethiopian support” for the RSF.”
Local media continue to report that the drone attacks are causing significant disruptions to power supply for communities across Kassala and Northern states, affecting homes, businesses and essential services. The ongoing campaign has already led to widespread blackouts in regions that rely heavily on the national grid.
Experts see the escalation as part of the deeper civil conflict that has engulfed Sudan since 2023, as the RSF and the military government vie for control over resources and strategic infrastructure. The targeting of power stations represents a chilling move against civilian life, drawing international condemnation from human rights organizations.
The Sudanese government’s filing of complaints with the UN and the African Union marks a diplomatic escalation in an effort to hold Ethiopia accountable, while the RSF’s increased defections could signal a shift in the balance of power within Sudan’s volatile security landscape.
