Rapid Support Forces drone strikes cut power across eastern Sudan

In the past three weeks of October, drones operated by the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) carried out a coordinated attack on five power stations, resulting in widespread power outages across the east of Sudan, a government official informed AFP. The drones targeted two stations in Al-Jazira state, two in Gedaref state, and one in White Nile state, plunging large parts of these three states into darkness.

All three states are under the control of the Sudanese army, which has been engaged in a war with the RSF since April 2023. The UN has warned that repeated attacks on power stations jeopardize the health and well-being of millions of people, many of whom are already enduring the world's largest hunger crisis. An AFP correspondent in Al-Jazira reported that electricity had been absent since 2am, while a resident of Gedaref shared a similar experience, stating that power had been out since the same time.

The lack of power has been particularly concerning for individuals with medical conditions requiring refrigerated medication. The power outages are a recurring issue, having occurred multiple times due to past drone strikes on power stations and hydroelectric dams, further exacerbating the suffering of nearly 20 million people grappling with extreme hunger.

The ongoing conflict in Sudan is primarily fought using drones, with both sides launching sophisticated attacks, resulting in numerous civilian casualties. During the first three weeks of October alone, drone strikes claimed over 300 lives and injured hundreds more, according to a UN tally. Sudan, Africa's third-largest country with an estimated population of 50 million, has been devastated by the war, which has reportedly caused more than 200,000 deaths.

The majority of Sudan's hospitals have been forced to close, at least eight million children are out of school, and vast areas of the country lack access to essential services. Prior to the drone attack, the electricity situation in Sudan had recently improved, with the power station targeted by the RSF having recently been repaired and restored.

A 54-year-old farmer from Al-Jazira's Al-Junaid town expressed his disappointment, stating that the attack has left him unable to resume farming and return to his livelihood. In Al-Jazira, farmers have been struggling to rehabilitate and replant their land since the army recaptured the state from the RSF last year. Further east, in Gedaref, grocer Ibrahim Mohammed, 37, lamented the immediate impact of the power outage, noting that his chicken stock would likely be lost or forced to be sold at a significant loss.

Sudan is also facing unprecedented inflation and a rapidly depreciating currency, having lost over 25% of its value in recent weeks.