In brief
Drone attacks on three electricity substations in eastern and northern Sudan marked the 18th strike this week, causing widespread power outages across parts of the country. The Sudanese military government has named Ethiopia as a supporter of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in these attacks, while an RSF commander recently defected after surrendering to the army.
On Monday, drones struck three electricity substations in eastern and northern Sudan, the latest in a series of attacks that have brought the total to 18 over the past week, Sudan’s military government said. The facilities hit, located in New Halfa and Aroma in Kassala state and at the al‑Ghazali substation in Northern State, set fire to the power infrastructure and left many residents without electricity.
The attacks forced the army to deploy civil defence teams who worked to extinguish the fires, the footage posted on social media suggest. Al Jazeera was unable to immediately confirm the video, but local reports confirmed that the drones had caused extensive damage.
Sudan’s army said that the drone attacks were part of a larger campaign by the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group it has been fighting since April 2023. The military government accused Ethiopia of aiding the RSF in carrying out the strikes, saying that the Ethiopian government had provided logistical and operational support.
Following the attacks, the government filed complaints against Ethiopia with the United Nations Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, accusing the Addis Ababa administration of involvement in the ongoing campaign against civilian infrastructure, including the power network.
In addition to the attacks, the Sudanese army reported that a group of RSF members had defected by surrendering to its forces in Damazin, the capital of southeastern Blue Nile state. The announcement followed a video where senior RSF commander Siddiq Ander declared his defection. The army said the defectors had supplied information about the management of military operations in Damazin, including details of “Ethiopian support” for the RSF.
The series of attacks and the defection underscore the heightened tension between the army and the RSF. Sudan’s power system has already suffered multiple outages, affecting schools, hospitals and households across affected regions. The government has demanded swift international intervention to hold accountable those it believes are responsible for the drone strikes.
Critics note that the increased targeting of critical infrastructure could have severe humanitarian consequences. The army remains on high alert as the situation in Sudan continues to evolve.
