Drone strikes on Sudan power stations reach 18 in a week

Drone strikes hit three electricity substations in eastern and northern Sudan on Monday, causing widespread power outages across parts of the country.

The attacks brought the number of strikes reported to target Sudan's electricity network over the past week to 18, in what has been described as a concentrated campaign against the power system.

Local media reported that facilities in New Halfa and Aroma in the eastern state of Kassala were hit early on Monday, while the al-Ghazali substation in Northern State was also targeted.

Videos circulating on social media appeared to show fires at the facilities, with civil defence teams trying to extinguish them, though the footage and reports could not immediately be verified.

Sudan's military government has claimed that Ethiopia is aiding the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in carrying out the attacks. The Sudanese army has been fighting the RSF since April 2023.

On Sunday, Sudan's government said it had filed complaints against Ethiopia with the United Nations Security Council and the African Union's Peace and Security Council, accusing Addis Ababa of involvement in the ongoing campaign of attacks on civilian infrastructure and power stations.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese army reported on Monday that a group of RSF members had defected by surrendering to its forces in Damazin, the capital of the southeastern Blue Nile state.

The announcement followed a declaration, in video footage, by senior RSF commander Siddiq Ander that he had defected. In a statement, the army said defections from the paramilitary group in Blue Nile state were increasing, and that Damazin was the latest example.

The army added that the defecting commander had provided information concerning the management of military operations in Damazin, including Ethiopian support for the RSF.