A drone strike on the Al-Markhiyat transformer station in Omdurman has caused widespread power outages in Sudan's capital, Khartoum. The station was hit early on Tuesday, 27 October, and taken out of service, according to the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum. The ministry reported that the facility sustained extensive damage and that technical teams were assessing the site to determine the repairs needed to restore electricity.
The outages affected large parts of Khartoum and River Nile State, as well as areas in several other states, the ministry said. It did not give a specific timeline for restoring normal power supplies. Residents are struggling with shortages of basic services, including electricity and water. Abdel-Gadir Al-Sheikh, a resident of Khartoum, described the situation as extremely difficult, saying access to essential services had become increasingly challenging.
The strike followed drone attacks on electricity facilities in several states on Monday, 26 October. The Sudanese Electricity Company accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of targeting power stations in Al-Jazirah, Sennar, Al-Qadarif and White Nile states. The affected facilities included Al-Junaid in Al-Jazirah State, Singa in Sennar State, Al-Hawata and Al-Faw in Al-Gedarif State, and Mashkour in White Nile State.
The attacks damaged electrical equipment and disrupted power supplies, raising concerns about the stability of Sudan's national electricity grid. Sudanese authorities also blamed the RSF for the attack on Al-Markhiyat. The RSF has been involved in the conflict in Sudan, which has been at war since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions and deepened hunger and the humanitarian crisis across the country, according to the United Nations and international estimates. The United Nations has expressed concern over continued drone attacks in Sudan and damage to critical civilian infrastructure, including electricity facilities.
Power cuts threaten essential services such as water supplies, healthcare and bakeries, adding to the hardships faced by civilians amid shortages and economic disruption. Residents, like Abdel-Gadir Al-Sheikh, are facing extremely difficult living conditions, with prolonged electricity and water shortages, fuel scarcity, bakery closures and the spread of mosquitoes.
The situation in Sudan remains challenging, with the conflict showing no signs of abating. The Sudanese government and international community are working to address the humanitarian crisis and restore stability to the country. The Ministry of Energy and Petroleum is working to restore power supplies, but a timeline for completion has not been given.
Key points
- The drone strike on Al-Markhiyat transformer station has disrupted electricity supplies across large parts of Khartoum.
- The conflict in Sudan has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.
- The United Nations has expressed concern over continued drone attacks in Sudan and damage to critical civilian infrastructure.
