Drone strikes suddenly broke the calm that’d been holding near Sudan’s army-held capital, Khartoum, early Tuesday. At approximately 5 a.m. local time, multiple drones struck vital infrastructure and military sites, witnesses and officials said. Targets included the Al Jaili oil refinery, the Al Markhiyat power substation in Omdurman, and the Yarmuk weapons factory. Four drones hit the substation, setting off a fire, though the national electricity company reported only minor damage.
A military source revealed that the Wadi Seidna air base was also targeted but its air defenses successfully intercepted the incoming drones. Concurrently, another strike hit an army facility in Kafuri, injuring several soldiers.
The attacks ended months of what had been relatively peaceful conditions since the army expelled the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from the capital region in May, a major turning point in the war that began in April 2023. The attacks arrive as the army, backed by a provisional government, is pushing forward with an ambitious plan to rebuild to resettle displaced residents and rebuild Khartoum.
Since the conflict’s outbreak, it has claimed tens of thousands of lives and forced roughly 14 million people to flee their homes. The renewed strikes underscore the fragility of Sudan’s current stability and raise fears of a broader escalation in the ongoing war.
