RSF drone attacks hit five Sudanese power stations, causing blackouts
Drone attacks attributed to the Rapid Support Forces hit five power facilities in Sudan on Monday 26 October, causing widespread outages in the east and southeast, according to a government official and the national electricity company.
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The story, neutrally told
Right · 1Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a coordinated drone attack on Monday 26 October that targeted five power stations, causing mass power outages across the east of the country, a government official told AFP. Arab NewsRC “Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces launched a coordinated drone attack Monday that targeted five power stations, causing mass power outages across the country’s east, a government official told AFP.” Read at Arab News ↗ Right · 1An AFP correspondent in Al-Jazira state, where two of the attacks occurred, along with the states of White Nile and Gedaref, reported that the electricity had been out since before dawn. Arab NewsRC “An AFP correspondent in Al-Jazira state, where two of the attacks occurred along with the states of White Nile and Gedaref, reported the electricity had been out since before dawn.” Read at Arab News ↗ Centre · 1Sudan Electricity Holding Company said the strikes hit substations in Singa, Al-Hawata, Al-Faw, Mashkur and Al-Junaid in central and southeastern Sudan. Anadolu AgencyN “the company said the strikes targeted substations in Singa, Al-Hawata, Al-Faw, Mashkur and Al-Junaid in central and southeastern Sudan.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Centre · 1The company said the attacks caused significant damage to components of the facilities and completely cut electricity from the southeastern grid, affecting Sennar, Gedaref, White Nile and Gezira states, and warned that the damage also threatened the stability of the national grid. Anadolu AgencyN “completely cut electricity from the southeastern grid, affecting Sennar, Gedaref, White Nile and Gezira states”“It warned that the damage also threatened the stability of Sudan’s national electricity grid.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1It said engineering and technical teams had been sent to the affected substations to assess the damage and begin repairs. Anadolu AgencyN “Engineering and technical teams were dispatched to the affected substations to assess the damage and begin repairs” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1Local details: Sudan Tribune reported that an RSF drone struck the Al-Junaid substation in eastern Gezira state; Sennar's state government said a drone hit the Singa substation, injuring members of its guard team; drones also targeted Al-Faw and Al-Hawata in Gedaref state; and another struck Mashkur in White Nile state, causing a local outage. Anadolu AgencyN “The daily Sudan Tribune said an RSF drone struck the Al-Junaid power substation in eastern Gezira state early Monday”“In Sennar, the state government said an RSF drone struck the Singa power substation, causing material damage and injuring members of the facility’s guard team.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Centre · 1Sudan Tribune also reported that RSF drones tried to hit fuel depots in Umm Aliyla in eastern Gezira without causing damage; that site had been targeted in September, when a drone attack started a fire at a storage unit. Anadolu AgencyN “RSF drones also attempted to strike strategic fuel depots in Umm Aliyla in eastern Gezira without causing damage.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1Anadolu Agency reports the RSF has stepped up drone attacks in recent days on fuel storage and electricity infrastructure in North Kordofan, Gedaref, Gezira and White Nile states amid escalating fighting with the army. Anadolu AgencyN “The RSF has intensified drone attacks in recent days against fuel storage facilities and electricity infrastructure in North Kordofan, Gedaref, Gezira and White Nile states amid escalating fighting with army forces.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1The army and the RSF have been at war since April 2023 over disputes about integrating the paramilitary group into the military; the conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced about 13 million people. Anadolu AgencyN “The army and the RSF have been at war since April 2023 following disputes over integrating the paramilitary group into the military.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Detailed damage report led by the state electricity company's statement, with site-by-site accounts and the wider war context.
- Emphasis
- Infrastructure damage, grid stability, repair efforts, and the RSF's recent campaign against fuel and electricity sites.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No independent verification of the attacks or any RSF statement.
- For example
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“Sudan Electricity Holding Company says attacks knock out southeastern grid, threaten stability of national power network” — Anadolu Agency
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Short AFP wire report led by a government official's account of a coordinated RSF drone attack and the resulting outages.
- Emphasis
- Coordinated nature of the attack and eyewitness confirmation of the outage from an AFP correspondent.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not name the five stations, quantify damage, or give war context, and carries no RSF response.
- For example
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“launched a coordinated drone attack Monday that targeted five power stations” — Arab News
What every side reports
- The RSF is reported to have carried out drone attacks on five power facilities in Sudan on Monday 26 October.
- The attacks caused widespread power outages in eastern/southeastern Sudan, including Gezira, Gedaref and White Nile states.
Where accounts differ
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Extent of the outage
- Centre
- Anadolu, citing the electricity company, says a complete blackout hit the southeastern grid across Sennar, Gedaref, White Nile and Gezira states and threatens the national grid.
- Right
- Arab News, carrying AFP, describes mass outages across the country's east, citing a government official.
Rapid Support Forces organisation
The RSF is named as the perpetrator by a government official and the electricity company; the coverage includes no RSF comment.
“a government official told AFP” — Arab News
“drone attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeted five power substations” — Anadolu Agency
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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RSF drone strikes damage 5 power substations, cause blackout in Sudan
Neutral Anadolu's own report centred on the electricity company's statement, with local detail and war background.
Right2 articles
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Arab NewsRC · · via AFP
Sudan RSF drones target five power stations across country: govt official
Neutral AFP wire copy run by Arab News: brief report of a coordinated RSF drone attack based on a government official and a correspondent's observation.
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- 26 Oct 07:29 First Arab NewsRC Sudan RSF drones target five power stations across country: govt official via AFP
- 26 Oct 11:10 +3h 41m Anadolu AgencyN RSF drone strikes damage 5 power substations, cause blackout in Sudan
- 26 Oct 11:20 +3h 51m The Straits TimesRC Drone strikes cut power across southeast Sudan, operator says via Reuters
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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