Paramilitary drone strikes hit power stations in southeast Sudan on Monday, cutting power across the region, Reuters reported, citing the state electricity company. The operator accused the Rapid Support Forces of knocking out power in four states covering about half the territory currently held by the military.

Source: Reuters via Devdiscourse, Oct 26

Power was cut in Sennar, Al Qadarif, White Nile and Gezira states, threatening the stability of the whole national grid, the operator said, according to Reuters. The attacks hit stations in Sinja, El Hawata, Al Fao and Mashkour, as well as Al-Junaid in Gezira State, causing severe damage, it added. Reuters said it could not independently verify the operator's account, and the RSF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A government official separately told AFP that RSF drones hit two power stations each in Al-Jazira and Gedaref and one in White Nile, resulting in power outages across large parts of the three states. All three states are controlled by the Sudanese army, which has been at war with the RSF since April 2023.

Source: AFP via The Guardian, Oct 26

The United Nations has repeatedly warned that attacks on power stations threaten health and services for millions of people already facing the world's largest hunger crisis, AFP reported. A resident of Al-Fao in Gedaref told AFP power had been out since early morning and he feared insulin for his diabetic son, which must be kept refrigerated, would spoil.

Both sides have stepped up drone strikes this month, Reuters reported, with attacks on Nyala, held by the RSF, and Khartoum airport, held by the army. No casualty figures for Monday's power-station strikes were reported in the sources used.