Drone Strike Paralyzes Power in Sudan’s Major Cities. Khartoum, Sudan — A drone strike on a key power plant in Sudan’s River Nile state has led to widespread power outages across the country, including the capital, Khartoum, and the coastal city of Port Sudan.
The incident, which took place on Thursday, is a part of the ongoing civil war and the latest escalation in a devastating drone campaign.
According to verified reports, the attack targeted the power plant in Atbara, which is controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and under assault by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Footage of the power station engulfed in flames and smoke has been verified by Al Jazeera.
The government — aligned SAF officials confirmed that two civil defense members were killed in the initial incident while attempting to extinguish the fire that followed the drone strike.
Additional injuries were reported among rescue workers when a second drone struck as they fought the flames.
In Port Sudan, reports correspondent Mohamed Vall reported that residents initially believed the power outage was due to a routine cut, only to learn of the incident in Atbara. Vall added that such strikes have become increasingly common in Sudan’s ongoing conflict.
The attack comes as part of a wider drone campaign that has killed at least 104 civilians across Sudan’s Kordofan region since early December.
The deadliest strike occurred in Kalogi, South Kordofan, where a kindergarten and hospital were targeted, resulting in the deaths of 89 people, including 43 children and eight women.
The use of drones by both the SAF and RSF has been extensive in recent months.
The US — based Africa Center for Strategic Studies reported that 484 drone strikes occurred across 13 African countries in 2024, with Sudan accounting for 264 of those strikes. Sudan has been engulfed in chaos since April 2023 when a power struggle between the SAF and RSF escalated into open conflict.
The war has resulted in an estimated 100,000 deaths, though the true toll remains unclear.
The conflict has created what the UN describes as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with over 14 million people displaced and at least 30 million in need of vital assistance.
The International Rescue Committee’s Emergency Watchlist ranked Sudan at the top for the third consecutive year, while a Thomson Reuters Foundation poll named it the world’s most neglected crisis of 2025.
The WHO reported that over 1,600 people have been killed in attacks on medical facilities across Sudan this year.
Further details are expected as the situation develops.
