Sudan’s electricity network is facing a wave of drone attacks, with 15 power facilities targeted across nine states over a period of 10 days, according to an assessment by Al Jazeera.
The attacks began on October 20, when a drone struck the Tendelti power station in White Nile State. The Sudanese government blamed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the attack, which caused a fire and disrupted electricity supplies.
On October 26, five more power stations were targeted across Sennar, Gedaref, White Nile and Al-Jazira states. Sudan’s Electricity Company said the strikes damaged critical equipment and caused power outages across several states.
The following day, drones struck the Al-Markhiyat substation in Omdurman. On October 29, the Umm Dabakir power station and substation in White Nile State were also attacked, causing widespread power outages.
The attacks subsequently spread to northern and eastern Sudan. On October 30, the Shendi power station was targeted, followed a day later by an attack on the Hayya substation and nearby oil infrastructure along the pipeline transporting petroleum to Bashayer Port.
On November 1, further attacks targeted the Al-Dabba and Abu Hamad power stations in northern Sudan. Reports indicated power outages in Al-Dabba and a fire at the Abu Hamad facility.
As the attacks spread across the country, the Sudanese government accused Ethiopia of involvement, claiming that some of the drones had been launched from locations inside Ethiopian territory.
On October 28, Sudanese government officials displayed wreckage from drones they said had been intercepted by the country’s air defences. They claimed technical data showed that the drones had been launched from locations inside Ethiopia, including Bahir Dar Airport.
Sudan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador Muawiya Osman, also accused Ethiopia of being involved in a regional proxy conflict, particularly on behalf of the United Arab Emirates.
Al Jazeera’s assessment documented attacks on 15 electricity facilities across nine Sudanese states over a period of 10 days.
The strikes have caused widespread power disruptions, placing further pressure on Sudan’s already strained infrastructure and essential services as the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF continues.
