Khartoum and surrounding areas remained without power late Thursday following a wave of overnight drone strikes that targeted key electricity infrastructure in and around the capital. The attacks mark a significant escalation in tactics by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group locked in a brutal conflict with the Sudanese army. According to military sources and analysts, the RSF launched coordinated strikes on three power stations in Omdurman, across the Nile from Khartoum, as well as other facilities in army-controlled areas. The strikes are part of a broader RSF shift toward long-range drone warfare, targeting dams, water plants, and critical infrastructure.
The offensive comes weeks after the army claimed to have regained control of Khartoum, suggesting a renewed phase in the conflict now entering its third year. The RSF has also launched multiple attacks on Port Sudan, a city previously regarded as a safe zone for government officials, diplomats, and humanitarian agencies.
The destruction of power grids has led to nationwide blackouts and water shortages, compounding the humanitarian crisis. The civil war has already displaced over 13 million people, caused tens of thousands of deaths, and triggered widespread famine and disease. The conflict began in April 2023, rooted in a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF over the country’s stalled transition to civilian rule.
