Drone attacks on power stations plunge Sudan’s cities into darkness

Al Jazeera reports that between October 20 and November 2, 2026, at least 18 attacks on electricity infrastructure occurred across at least nine states, leading to declining power generation capacity and fuel shortages. The RSF has intensified attacks on power stations around Khartoum state over the past month, creating an energy crisis in the capital. There has been no clear schedule for power cuts in Khartoum caused by damage to energy infrastructure, with blackouts lasting anywhere from six hours to a day.

Power cuts have affected civilians. Kamal Mohammed, a 42-year-old diabetic living in Port Sudan, said the power cuts have made his life "catastrophic." He struggles to keep his insulin refrigerated and sometimes must skip doses. "I need an insulin dose every day, but sometimes I have to skip it when power cuts last so long that the refrigerator loses its cooling," he told Al Jazeera.

The war between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) broke out in April 2023. More than 14 million civilians have been displaced since 2023, and more than 150,000 people are believed to have been killed. The fighting has increasingly targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure, with drone attacks killing over 160 people in western Sudan in October.

Mohammed al-Husseini, a political analyst, said the RSF stepped up attacks on civilian infrastructure after the SAF captured strategically important towns in the Kordofan region. "The attacks on power stations aimed to weaken Sudan's economy and disrupt agricultural and industrial production," he said.

The United Nations has warned about the effects of the attacks on civilians. "There is no defence for repeatedly hitting power stations and fuel stations," said Denise Brown, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator. "People who need lifesaving dialysis can't get it. Women are giving birth with no lights in the hospital. Operations can't take place."

The energy crisis has affected businesses and camps for displaced people. Osama Omar, a student who runs a laundry in Port Sudan, said unpredictable power cuts have made it difficult to operate, forcing him to turn away orders. "Power cuts have become another war that Sudanese people are being forced to fight," he said.

In the al-Karama 3 displacement camp in Blue Nile state, residents lack electricity entirely. Azhar Abdullah, a displaced woman, said she worries her 13-year-old daughter's thyroid condition could deteriorate further as she has to undertake strenuous tasks throughout the day amid a lack of basic services.

The rising cost of electricity has also strained households. Kamal said his monthly bill was no more than 3,000 pounds ($0.28) before the war and can now reach 100,000 pounds ($9.61), though sometimes it is lower due to prolonged cuts. Solar power systems, which cost between $385 and $577, are out of reach for most households in Port Sudan.