A drone strike targeted the Atbara power station in northern Sudan on Friday, causing a widespread electricity blackout in the River Nile and Red Sea states and igniting a significant fire, Sudan’s electricity company reported.
The company stated that unmanned aerial vehicles struck the Atbara substation, leading to the power outage.
Civil defense teams are working to extinguish the blaze, and technical crews are assessing the damage to begin repairs.
This attack is the latest in a series of drone strikes targeting power infrastructure in northern Sudan, with previous incidents hitting key facilities in Merowe, Dongola, Al-Dabba, and Atbara.
The conflict between the Rapid Support Forces and the General Abdel Fattah al Burhan’s army began on April 15, 2023, resulting in a severe humanitarian crisis with thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions.
Estimates of the death toll vary significantly, ranging from over 20,000 according to the UN and local authorities to around 130,000 based on US scholarly research.