Drone attacks knock out power in three eastern Sudanese states

Rapid Support Forces launched a coordinated drone attack on five power stations in eastern Sudan, causing widespread blackouts. A government official speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed the strikes hit infrastructure in Al-Jazira, Gedaref, and White Nile states.

The official stated that the drones targeted two stations in Al-Jazira and two in Gedaref. A single station in White Nile state was also struck. These attacks resulted in power outages across large parts of the three regions, which are currently under the control of the Sudanese army.

The army and the paramilitary group have been at war since April 2023. The conflict has largely shifted to drone warfare, with both sides launching sophisticated strikes. A United Nations tally recorded more than 300 deaths and hundreds of injuries from drone strikes in the first three weeks of October.

Residents in affected areas face immediate disruptions. Babiker Youssef, a resident of Al-Fao in Gedaref, reported that power had been out since early morning. He said his son is diabetic and requires refrigerated insulin. Youssef expressed fear that the medication might spoil without a way to replace it.

Agricultural operations have also suffered. Abdelhafez Daafallah, a 54-year-old farmer in Al-Junaid, said the local power station had only been repaired three months prior. He noted that he had hoped to restart irrigation pumps for farming. The new strike halted that progress after nearly four years of inactivity on his land.

Business owners are losing stock due to the outages. Ibrahim Mohammed, a 37-year-old grocer in Gedaref, said he was already experiencing hourly power cuts before the strike. He now holds chicken in his refrigerator that will either spoil or require a steep discount to sell.

The United Nations has warned that attacks on power infrastructure threaten health and services for millions. Sudan faces the world's largest hunger crisis. Aid workers estimate the war has killed more than 200,000 people in a country of approximately 50 million.