Power outage hits Port Sudan after drone strike

ANKARA

Sudanese authorities reported an electricity outage in Port Sudan on Tuesday following a drone strike on the main power plant in the eastern city.

In a statement, the Sudan Electricity Company said the city’s power plant went offline after the strike, saying the drone attack was part of a systematic campaign targeting basic services of civilians.

The company said technical teams are working to restore the power supply in the city.

There was no claim of responsibility for the attack, but the Sudanese government accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of being behind the attack.

Explosions were heard in the city on Tuesday after the strike that targeted several sites in Port Sudan, including the airport and seaport.

The Red Sea city has become the temporary administrative capital and a de facto seat of the Sudanese government following the outbreak of clashes with the RSF since April 2023.

On Sunday, the Sudanese authorities accused the RSF of striking the eastern cities of Port Sudan and Kassala with combat drones, triggering wide Arab condemnations.

In recent weeks, drone strikes have increasingly targeted power stations in northern cities such as Merowe, Dongola, Al Dabbah, and Atbara, with the Sudanese government blaming the rebel faction for the attacks.

Since April 2023, the RSF has been battling the army for control of Sudan, resulting in thousands of deaths and creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

More than 20,000 victims have been killed, and 15 million displaced, according to the UN and local authorities. Research from US scholars, however, puts the death toll at around 130,000.