Drone strikes on five power stations in Sudan have triggered widespread electricity blackouts across four states, threatening hospitals, water supplies and essential services as the country’s civil war enters its fourth year.
Sudan’s state-owned electricity company said the attacks took place on Monday, 26 October 2026, damaging major power facilities in areas controlled by the Sudanese army.
The company blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been fighting the military since April 2023.
The affected states are Sennar, Gedaref, White Nile and Gezira, where thousands of families depend on electricity for healthcare, water pumping, food storage and other daily activities.
The Sudan Electricity Holding Company warned that the damage could also threaten the stability of the country’s wider electricity network.
The RSF had not immediately responded to requests for comment, and Reuters said it could not independently verify the electricity company’s account of responsibility for the attacks.
Five power stations damaged in Sudan drone attacks
The electricity company identified five facilities targeted in the strikes: Sinja, Al-Hawata, Al-Fao, Mashkour and Al-Junaid.
According to its statement, the attacks caused extensive damage to electrical equipment, forcing the southeastern power network out of operation.
Engineering teams were dispatched to assess the destruction and begin work to restore electricity.
However, officials had not announced when power would be fully restored.
Reports from local communities indicate that electricity supplies were interrupted before dawn on Monday.
In some locations, residents reported that the disruption began around 2am.
The attacks also raised concerns that further damage to critical facilities could leave additional parts of Sudan without electricity.
Sudan Tribune reported that security guards were injured during an attack on the Sinja transformer station in Sennar state.
The guards were reportedly taken for medical treatment, although a verified national casualty figure from the strikes was not immediately available.
Hospitals and families face growing risks
The electricity cuts have consequences beyond keeping homes and businesses without power.
Hospitals need reliable electricity to operate medical equipment, preserve medicines and provide emergency treatment.
Interruptions can also affect water pumping systems, making it more difficult for communities to access safe drinking water.
For patients who depend on refrigerated medicines, prolonged blackouts can create immediate health risks.
In Al-Fao, Gedaref state, a resident told AFP that he feared for his diabetic son’s insulin because the medication needed refrigeration.
The father said he did not know when electricity would return or whether he could replace the medicine if it became unusable.
His account illustrates the wider consequences of attacks on electricity infrastructure in a country where access to healthcare and essential supplies has already been weakened by war.
The United Nations has repeatedly warned that damage to power infrastructure threatens healthcare and other services for millions of Sudanese civilians.
Sudan’s civil war deepens humanitarian crisis
Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since 15 April 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
The war followed disagreements between military leaders over the country’s political transition and the proposed integration of the RSF into the national army.
Since then, fighting has spread across several regions, destroying infrastructure and forcing millions of people to flee their homes.
The country’s humanitarian crisis has been worsened by food shortages, disrupted healthcare, insecurity and restrictions on aid operations.
According to a September 2026 assessment published by the UK government, attacks on civilian infrastructure and reduced access to essential services remain major concerns.
The assessment also identifies serious humanitarian pressures in areas affected by fighting, particularly Darfur, Kordofan and Blue Nile.
Even regions that have experienced less direct fighting remain vulnerable to sudden changes in security conditions and disruption to essential services.
Drone warfare threatens more civilian infrastructure
The latest strikes are part of a wider escalation in the use of drones by both parties to Sudan’s conflict.
Recent attacks have targeted military positions, fuel depots, airports and electricity facilities.
On 18 October, Sudanese military sources reported that air defence units had intercepted drones aimed at infrastructure in Gedaref and Kassala.
Earlier attacks had also disrupted electricity supplies in White Nile state and surrounding areas.
The growing reliance on drones means facilities far from active ground fighting can still be exposed to attack.
The impact on civilians is particularly severe when damage affects infrastructure used to provide electricity, drinking water or medical treatment.
Under international humanitarian law, civilian infrastructure is protected against direct attack, although the legal status of an individual facility depends on its use and the circumstances of an attack.
Even where a facility qualifies as a military objective, parties must comply with the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions to protect civilians.
The responsibility for Monday’s strikes and their full consequences remain matters requiring independent verification.
What happens next?
Sudan’s electricity authorities say technical teams are working to determine the extent of the damage and restore power.
The immediate priority is reconnecting affected communities while protecting essential services from further disruption.
For humanitarian organisations, the outages may increase the need for alternative electricity supplies, fuel, medical support and clean water.
There is no verified timetable for full restoration, and authorities have not released a confirmed total for the number of residents affected.
As the conflict continues, the attacks highlight the vulnerability of essential civilian services and the growing hardship faced by people living in areas affected by Sudan’s war.
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