Sudan: Sudan Once Again Accuses Ethiopia of Involvement in Drone Strikes Targeting Power Stations, Civilian Sites

The reported strikes focused on infrastructure that keeps cities, transport, and industry functioning. Targets included power stations, fuel depots, fuel-storage facilities, and a pipeline. Sudanese officials said the attacks affected several regions, making the alleged campaign broader than a single local incident.

On Tuesday, a drone attack disabled the Markhiyat power station northwest of Omdurman. Electricity supplies were disrupted across the capital area. On Wednesday, strikes reportedly hit a power station and fuel storage facilities in El Manaqil, Gezira State. Other attacks targeted fuel sites and a pipeline linked to Bashayer Port in Red Sea State.

The article presents these locations as reported targets, not independently confirmed findings. Sudan accused Ethiopia and the UAE of enabling the attacks, but Ethiopian and Emirati authorities had not immediately commented. The alleged drone origins and flight data also remained unverified.

Power, fuel, pipelines, and ports support daily life and economic activity. When they are damaged, civilians can lose electricity, transport becomes harder, and hospitals, businesses, water systems, and communications may face disruption. Fuel shortages can raise costs and slow the movement of food and other necessities.

The article gives one direct example. A drone attack disabled the Markhiyat power station northwest of Omdurman, disrupting electricity supplies across the capital area. Other strikes reportedly hit fuel storage facilities in El Manaqil and near Bashayer Port, plus a pipeline linked to the port. These sites connect energy supplies with local distribution and wider transport.

The immediate effects are outages and risks to fuel availability. Longer disruptions can reduce production, damage trade, and increase pressure on civilians. The article does not quantify the economic loss, so its wider financial impact remains unclear. Continued attacks could deepen Sudan’s humanitarian and economic strain.

Sudanese government and intelligence officials said the drones used in recent strikes were launched from Ethiopian territory. They specifically included Bahir Dar Airport among the alleged launch locations. To support the claim, officials displayed what they described as flight data, satellite imagery, and fragments from intercepted drones at a joint press conference in Khartoum.

The proposed mechanism is evidentiary: flight records could indicate where drones traveled, satellite images could show activity at suspected launch sites, and recovered fragments might help identify the aircraft. Together, Sudanese officials presented these materials as linking the strikes to Ethiopia. The article does not provide technical details about the data or imagery.

The allegation has not been independently verified. The article states that the flight data and alleged drone origins could not be checked independently. Ethiopian authorities also could not immediately be reached for comment. Therefore, the evidence remains a claim made by Sudanese officials rather than an established finding.

The alleged foreign involvement is wide in Sudan’s defence minister’s account. Hassan Daoud Kabroun accused more than 20 countries of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF. He said that support involved funding, drones, logistical assistance, and foreign fighters. This would represent a large international dimension to Sudan’s war, if substantiated.

Kabroun made the accusation in an interview with the state-run Sudan News Agency. He did not identify the countries beyond repeating allegations against Ethiopia and the UAE. The article also reports separate accusations by Sudanese officials that Ethiopia and the UAE enabled drone attacks on civilian infrastructure, fuel facilities, and power stations.

The scale remains alleged rather than proven in the available account. Kabroun provided no evidence for his latest claims, and the UAE has denied supporting the RSF. Ethiopia and the UAE could not immediately be reached for comment on the drone allegations. The article gives no independent confirmation or detailed list of the other countries.

The Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, is a paramilitary force in Sudan. The article distinguishes it from Sudan’s regular army and describes the two as the main sides fighting the country’s war. The RSF’s military status matters because it operates as an armed force outside the regular military structure.

The conflict began in April 2023. Tensions had grown over plans to integrate the RSF into the regular military. That dispute over how the paramilitary force would be incorporated into the army escalated into war. The article does not give further detail about the timetable, command structure, or terms of the proposed integration.

The fighting has continued since then, with the article describing ongoing attacks on Sudanese infrastructure. Sudan’s defence minister also alleges that foreign countries provide the RSF with funding, drones, logistical assistance, and foreign fighters. The UAE has denied supporting the RSF, and the article does not independently establish the wider allegations.

Sudanese officials assign different alleged roles to Ethiopia and the UAE. They accuse Ethiopia of allowing drones used in recent strikes to launch from its territory, including Bahir Dar Airport. They also accuse Ethiopia and the UAE together of enabling attacks on civilian infrastructure, fuel depots, and power stations.

At a Khartoum press conference, Sudanese officials presented flight data, satellite imagery, and intercepted-drone fragments to support the alleged Ethiopian connection. Foreign Minister Undersecretary Muawiya Osman Khalid described the situation as Ethiopian-Emirati aggression and called for an international response. Sudan’s defence minister separately repeated accusations against both countries.

The accusations remain unresolved. Ethiopian authorities and the UAE could not immediately be reached for comment on the drone allegations. The UAE has denied supporting the RSF. The article says the flight data and alleged drone origins could not be independently verified, and Kabroun provided no evidence for his latest wider claims.

Electricity, fuel, pipelines, and ports are the systems that keep a modern society moving. Power stations supply homes, hospitals, businesses, and communications. Fuel depots and pipelines feed transport and machinery. Ports connect supplies and exports to wider markets. Attacking them can therefore affect civilians and the economy at the same time.

The reported strikes show this chain clearly. Damage to the Markhiyat power station disrupted electricity across the capital area. Strikes on fuel storage sites in El Manaqil and near Bashayer Port threatened energy supplies. A pipeline linked to Bashayer Port was also reportedly targeted, potentially interrupting the movement of fuel between storage, transport, and coastal facilities.

Such targets can produce effects well beyond a military position. Outages interrupt essential services, while fuel disruption can raise costs and hinder food or medical deliveries. Damage to port-linked infrastructure can weaken trade and maritime access. The article does not state the full consequences, but continuing attacks could intensify Sudan’s civilian and economic pressures.