Drones Hit Power Grid in Sudan’s Capital

A drone hit the Al-Markhiyat power substation in northwestern Omdurman, part of Sudan’s capital region, early Tuesday. The strike cut electricity across large parts of Khartoum. It was the second consecutive day of attacks on Sudan’s power system, showing that the war is affecting essential services far from front lines.

Eyewitnesses reported the impact, while social media videos showed smoke above the site. Those videos could not be independently verified. No official damage report had been issued by 6:30 a.m. GMT, and no casualty figures were published. The outage’s expected duration was also unknown.

A source at Sudan’s state electricity company blamed RSF drones for targeting the transformer station. However, officials had not formally assigned responsibility, and the RSF had not claimed the attack. Al-Markhiyat had also been hit in drone attacks in May and September 2025.

An electrical substation is a facility where electricity is transformed to different voltages and directed through the grid. High-voltage power arrives from generating stations or transmission lines. Equipment at the substation then sends electricity onward through local distribution networks. This makes substations essential connection points rather than ordinary buildings.

If a transformer or switching system is damaged, electricity may no longer move safely into nearby neighborhoods. Protective equipment can also shut down connected lines to prevent further damage. A single failure can therefore disconnect many customers, especially when there are few alternative routes. The Al-Markhiyat strike cut power across large parts of Khartoum.

The article reports that no official damage assessment had been released by 2:30 a.m. ET. It also says the outage’s duration was unknown. Repeated strikes make repairs harder and can leave hospitals, water pumps, and farms without dependable electricity.

The attacks were not limited to one location. On Tuesday, a drone struck Al-Markhiyat substation in Omdurman, causing blackouts across large parts of Khartoum. The article describes this as the second day in a row that Sudan’s electricity grid had come under attack.

On Monday, Sudan Electricity Holding Company said drones hit five substations across four states: Sennar, Gedaref, Al-Jazira, and White Nile. Those strikes caused widespread blackouts. Adding the Tuesday strike gives at least six reported substation attacks over the two days, although the article does not provide a complete national damage count.

The wider effect is significant because the grid supports hospitals, water pumps, and farm irrigation. The article does not confirm the exact number of drones, the full scale of physical damage, or how long the outages will continue. It also says responsibility for Tuesday’s strike remained unconfirmed.

Electricity supports several services that people need every day. Hospitals use the grid for medical equipment, lighting, refrigeration, and other operations. Water systems need electricity to run pumps. Farms depend on power for irrigation. When the grid fails, these services can slow or stop, making a blackout a public-health and food-security emergency.

The article gives a direct mechanism: without electricity, water pumps stop and farm production suffers. Hospitals must rely on generators, which consume fuel and can be difficult to keep running during war. If attacks damage the same sites repeatedly, repairs take longer and backup arrangements face greater strain.

The current outages therefore reach beyond homes and businesses. The article says failing power raises the risk of disease and hunger, which can push more people to flee across borders. It also says grid attacks deepen Sudan’s humanitarian crisis and increase pressure for aid and action.

Sudan’s army is one side in the war, while the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, are a paramilitary group. The article says the two sides have fought since April 2023. It describes both as using cheap armed drones, including in attacks affecting Sudan’s electricity system.

The article does not provide a detailed explanation of why the war began. It identifies the conflict’s participants and says fighting has spread into daily life, including attacks on power stations. It also reports that the RSF was blamed by a source at the state electricity company for the Al-Markhiyat strike, but that claim was not officially confirmed.

By the article’s account, responsibility remained disputed at publication time. The RSF had not claimed the attack and says it works to protect civilians. The war has displaced millions and contributed to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, according to the article.

Power stations are attractive targets because they support many parts of civilian life at once. A successful strike can interrupt electricity for neighborhoods, hospitals, water systems, and farms. The article reports that attacks on substations caused widespread blackouts, making the grid’s connection points especially consequential targets.

Drones add another advantage for attackers. The article says both sides use cheap armed drones. They can reach fixed sites without sending pilots into danger and can strike equipment such as transformers. Protecting every substation is difficult because power networks cover broad areas, while the article does not describe Sudan’s defenses or the number of drones involved.

The attacks therefore create a difficult cycle. Damage cuts power, while repeated strikes delay repairs and reduce reliable alternatives. Al-Markhiyat had already been hit in May and September 2025. The article says the exact damage and future outage length remained unknown.

An electrical grid has three basic stages. Generating stations produce electricity. Transmission lines carry it over long distances at high voltage. Distribution networks then deliver it through local lines to cities, homes, hospitals, water pumps, and farms. This linked system allows distant generation to serve many users.

Substations connect these stages. They transform electricity to suitable voltage levels and direct it along different routes. A city substation can therefore act as a gateway between the wider transmission system and local customers. If its transformers or switching equipment fail, power may not reach large parts of the city, as happened after the Al-Markhiyat strike.

The article shows why this structure matters during war. Monday’s attacks on five substations caused widespread blackouts across four states. Tuesday’s strike affected large parts of Khartoum. Hospitals, water supplies, and irrigation then face disruption, while repairs become harder when important sites are attacked repeatedly.