Drone Strikes Inflict Heavy Civilian Toll and Power Outages in Sudan

More than 100 people were killed and 113 injured when a Sudanese military drone struck a busy market in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, on Monday evening, according to Emergency Lawyers, a rights-monitoring group. The group said many of the dead and wounded were women and children and blamed the Sudanese military for the attack. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported that 36 bodies arrived at its Nyala hospital and that its emergency department saw about 150 injured patients.

Associated Press

In the capital, a second drone hit the Al-Markhiyat transformer station on the outskirts of Khartoum, causing a major power outage. An electricity-company official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the strike could affect roughly 60 % of the capital’s power supply, with water stations expected to be the most impacted. Residents reported darkness lasting into the night and prolonged loss of electricity and water for up to 17 hours, jeopardising medical supplies such as insulin.

Associated Press

The war began in April 2023 when tensions between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into open fighting in Khartoum and spread nationwide. Drone warfare has become a hallmark of the conflict, with both sides increasingly using explosive-laden drones against civilian infrastructure, including markets, hospitals, schools and displacement camps. The United Nations has described drone strikes as the deadliest threat to civilians in the war.

Associated Press

The state-run Sudanese Electricity Distribution Company acknowledged “serious damage and technical faults” to the distribution network but offered no explanation for the strike and warned that power rationing would remain longer than usual. The United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross have expressed concern over the civilian impact of drone attacks. Conflict monitor ACLED estimates the war has killed at least 59,000 people, while the U.N. says about 34 million Sudanese—roughly two-thirds of the population—require assistance, with 825,000 children facing acute malnutrition. Over 30 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Commission, have jointly urged all parties to lift impediments to humanitarian aid.

Associated Press

• “At around 4:30 in the morning, on my way to dawn prayers, I heard the sound of a drone very close by, and just moments later a huge explosion, and the power went out,” — Abdel-Hafiz Abdel-Mutaal

Associated Press