In brief
The Morning of 2 November 2026 saw two drone attacks on the Aroma and New Halfa substations, leaving Kassala state in darkness and marking the 15th drone strike on Sudanese power infrastructure this week. The incidents fuel tensions between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces amid a war that has displaced around 13 million people. Authorities, rights groups, and international bodies have accused the paramilitary group of targeting civilian infrastructure, with the Sudanese government accusing Ethiopia of involvement.
Early on Monday, November 2, the cities of Aroma and New Halfa in eastern Kassala state were hit by drones that struck their electricity substations, igniting fires and causing a widespread power outage across the state, local witnesses told Anadolu Agency. The two attacks brought the number of electricity stations targeted by drones in Sudan over the past week to 15, according to the agency, which also listed prior strikes in Khartoum, Gezira, Sennar, Red Sea, Gedaref, Kassala, and River Nile states. Videos circulated on social media showed flames engulfing the new Halfa and Aroma facilities, while Civil Defense teams were seen attempting to extinguish the blaze at the Aroma site.
The earlier attacks on the month included a drone strike on the Abu Hamad substation in River Nile state and the Al-Dabbah substation in the Northern state on Sunday, according to local sources, which the agency reported. Following these incidents, the Sudanese government filed complaints against Ethiopia with the UN Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council, accusing Addis Ababa of involvement in attacks on civilian infrastructure and power stations in several Sudanese states. No immediate comment came from Ethiopia, but authorities and rights groups have pointed the finger at the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Reactions and Context
The Sudanese army and RSF have been in conflict since April 2023 over the integration of the paramilitary group, a disagreement that has spurred tens of thousands of deaths and displaced about 13 million people amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. RSF does not usually comment on such accusations and says it works to protect civilians, a claim that has been disputed by the government and independent observers. The escalating drone attacks against civilian power infrastructure reflect mounting tensions between the army and the RSF, with each side blaming the other for the destruction of essential services. The widespread outage left residents in Aroma and New Halfa without electricity, creating further hardship for communities already strained by the war and food shortages.
While the attack on Aroma and New Halfa is the latest in a series of drone strikes targeting Sudan’s electrical grid, officials stress that securing the nation’s power supply remains a priority. The government has called for international support to investigate the attacks and to hold the responsible parties accountable, while also working to restore power to affected areas as quickly as possible. The drone strikes have underscored the fragility of civilian infrastructure amid an ongoing civil conflict that has disrupted daily life for millions across the country.
