Drone attacks extend campaign targeting Sudan’s power system

Three electricity substations were reportedly attacked on Monday: facilities in New Halfa and Aroma in eastern Kassala state, and the al-Ghazali substation in Northern State. These sites are parts of Sudan’s electricity network, so damage can interrupt the movement of power to connected areas.

The immediate effect was widespread power loss across parts of the country. Videos appeared to show fires at the facilities, while civil defence teams tried to extinguish them. Al Jazeera said it could not immediately verify the footage or reports.

The outages add to a continuing disruption of Sudan’s power system. The attacks were reported as the latest in a campaign that produced 18 strikes against the electricity network in one week. The article does not give a full list of affected towns or say how long each outage lasted, but repeated damage could make restoring reliable supply harder.

The reported scale is 18 strikes targeting Sudan’s electricity network over the past week. That figure shows a concentrated campaign rather than an isolated attack. The latest incidents were reported on Monday and affected three substations in two broad regions of the country.

The three facilities were in New Halfa and Aroma in eastern Kassala state, plus al-Ghazali in Northern State. Together, those reported attacks form part of the 18-strike total. The article does not clarify whether every strike hit a different facility or whether some locations were attacked more than once.

The pattern matters because electricity networks depend on linked infrastructure. Repeated strikes can produce outages in multiple areas and complicate repairs. Sudan’s military government has blamed the RSF and alleged Ethiopian support, but the article reports those claims without independently verifying responsibility. It also says videos and reports about the latest damage could not immediately be verified.

An electrical substation is a network facility where electricity is managed before moving onward. It can change voltage, connect or disconnect circuits, and direct power between transmission lines and local distribution systems. This helps electricity travel efficiently and reach different areas safely.

A substation can serve many outgoing lines or a broad region. If fire or physical damage disables its equipment, electricity may no longer pass through those routes. Protective systems may also shut connected circuits down to prevent further damage. As a result, homes, hospitals, businesses, and other users can lose power even when the generating plant itself is still operating.

The article illustrates this vulnerability. Substations in New Halfa, Aroma, and al-Ghazali were reportedly hit, causing widespread outages across parts of Sudan. The article does not describe each substation’s technical layout, so the wider effect is explained by established electrical-network principles, not by specific details given in the report.

When attacks repeatedly disrupt electricity, daily life becomes less predictable and essential services can weaken. Civilians may lose lighting, refrigeration, communications, heating or cooling, and access to electrically powered water systems. Businesses can also close or lose equipment and income. The article does not list every civilian impact, but these are established consequences of prolonged outages.

Hospitals and other critical services depend on steady electricity for medical equipment, storage, communications, and basic operations. Repeated interruptions can force them onto backup systems, if available, and make routine care harder. Repairs may also become more difficult when facilities are attacked again before the network stabilises.

In Sudan, Monday’s reported strikes caused widespread outages across parts of the country. They followed a week in which 18 attacks were reported against the electricity network. The article gives no confirmed timetable for restoration or a detailed account of civilian damage, but the repeated pattern points to continuing pressure on power supplies and public services.

Sudan’s army is the country’s military force and, in the article, is linked to Sudan’s military government. The Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, are a paramilitary group. The report presents them as opposing forces in Sudan’s ongoing war and says the army has been fighting the RSF since April 2023.

The article describes military developments on both sides. It says the army reported that RSF members surrendered in Damazin, the capital of Blue Nile state. It also reports that senior RSF commander Siddiq Ander declared that he had defected. The army said the commander provided information about military operations and alleged Ethiopian support.

The article does not explain the political or military reasons the conflict began, so no specific cause can be given from this source. It does show that the fighting now includes attacks affecting civilian infrastructure, including electricity stations, and that defections and alleged outside support are shaping the conflict’s current course.

Sudan’s military government alleges that Ethiopia is aiding the RSF in the campaign of attacks on electricity stations and other civilian infrastructure. The army also said a defecting RSF commander provided information about Ethiopian support for operations in Damazin. These are allegations reported by Sudan, not independently established facts in the article.

The government said it filed complaints with the United Nations Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council. Taking the issue to both bodies places the accusation before major international and regional institutions. It also creates a formal record of Sudan’s claims about alleged cross-border involvement in the conflict.

The complaints came after attacks reportedly hit substations in New Halfa, Aroma, and al-Ghazali, causing widespread outages. The article does not say what action the UN or African Union took next. It also does not independently verify Ethiopia’s alleged role, so responsibility for the strikes remains contested in this report.

Power plants generate electricity, which is sent onto transmission lines at high voltage. High voltage allows electricity to travel long distances with less energy lost along the way. The transmission network carries it toward the areas where people and services use power.

At substations, transformers change the voltage and switching equipment directs electricity into different routes. Power then moves through lower-voltage distribution lines, which connect to homes, hospitals, businesses, and other buildings. Substations can therefore link major transmission routes with local networks and help control where electricity flows.

The article’s attacks show why these links matter. Strikes reportedly hit substations in New Halfa, Aroma, and al-Ghazali, and caused widespread outages across parts of Sudan. The report does not describe specific power plants or line routes, so this explanation uses standard electrical-network knowledge to provide the system context behind the reported disruption.