Attacks on Infrastructure in Sudan: A Military Strategy with a Heavy Human Cost

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The cities of Merowe and Al Dabbah in northern Sudan were subjected to a series of drone attacks on the night of Tuesday-Wednesday last week, in one of the largest attacks targeting military installations and a main electricity network. These attacks caused a complete blackout in the Khartoum, Nile River, and Red Sea states in the eastern part of the country. The attacks also targeted fuel storage facilities and civilians’ homes, resulting in casualties.

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The first attack took place in Merowe around 3 PM local time (5 PM GMT), carried out by an army drone, precisely targeting the electricity power station around the Merowe Dam. The city was then hit by a second attack at midnight, involving a swarm of suicide drones, which targeted the airport and the military division’s headquarters in the city, according to eyewitnesses. Eyewitnesses in Merowe stated that they saw shells fired by the army’s ground defenses aimed at the drones.

Simultaneously, a swarm of drones targeted several sites in the city of Al Dabbah in the Northern State. One of the drones crashed into a house, killing six people from the same family. Citizens in Al Dabbah reported that a suicide drone directly hit the military headquarters of the 73rd Division of the Sudanese Army, amid official silence.

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Advanced Drones Enter the War

It is widely believed that advanced drones entered the war and were used in the attacks on the two cities. The official Electricity Coordination Council confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that Merowe’s power station had been attacked by drones for the second time in less than three days. The statement mentioned that “the attacks targeted the transformers feeding the Northern State and several reactors, leading to a complete power outage in the state and disrupting efforts to rehabilitate the transformer damaged by previous attacks.”

The attack on the Merowe station occurred during repairs aimed at restoring electricity by installing new generators to replace those that were burned and completely destroyed in previous attacks. According to the electricity company’s statement, the transformer fire disrupted the line feeding the capital cities of Khartoum and affected the neighboring states of Khartoum, Nile River, and the Red Sea. The Electricity Council confirmed that civil defense forces were making great efforts to extinguish the fire, while technical evaluations were underway to assess the damage and take the necessary corrective actions.

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Destruction of Merowe Power Station and Its Impact on Infrastructure

Merowe power station is one of the most vital facilities in Sudan, playing a crucial role in providing electricity to vast areas in the north of the country. The attack on this station destroyed a significant portion of its infrastructure, leading to a complete power outage in many surrounding areas. These areas include Nile River state, including its major cities such as Atbara, Shendi, the protected villages, and Bagrawiya, as well as several villages in the Nile River state.

The power outage negatively impacted the daily lives of citizens, as many essential services relying on electricity, such as hospitals, bakeries, and public facilities, came to a halt, exacerbating the suffering of the population. In the context of the current fighting and internal conflicts, the power and water outages presented additional challenges for citizens already struggling with difficult economic conditions.

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Social and Economic Impact of Military Attacks

The military attacks on vital infrastructure in Sudan were a severe blow to the country’s infrastructure. The impacts of the attack extended beyond just electricity and water outages; they had profound social and economic consequences. The attack resulted in serious repercussions on the standard of living, as the citizens in the affected areas faced increasing suffering from the power and water outages, making it more difficult to move around and carry out daily activities in the affected cities and villages.

Relocation of Populations and Its Impact on Stability

In addition to the destruction of infrastructure, the attacks resulted in the displacement of many people from the northern regions, forcing them to leave their homes due to the destruction of their houses and essential facilities they depended on for daily life. This large-scale relocation of populations created more pressure on other cities that received these displaced people, leading to further humanitarian and economic challenges in those areas.

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Widespread Discontent among Citizens

The recent events and the difficult living conditions resulting from them have led to widespread discontent across Sudan. The dissatisfaction is not limited to the areas affected by the attacks but extends to many other states, where citizens feel that there has been a failure by the authorities in handling the current crisis. The destruction of infrastructure has not only had an immediate impact on people’s lives but has also placed a heavy burden on the Sudanese government, which faces significant challenges in meeting the basic needs of its citizens during the crisis.

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The Objective of the Campaign

The ongoing military campaign launched by the Sudanese Armed Forces comes at a heavy cost to the Sudanese people. The attacks on vital facilities like the Merowe power station have not only harmed the country’s infrastructure but have also contributed to worsening the humanitarian situation in the country. The objective of this military campaign may be to achieve strategic gains for the conflicting forces, but the cost paid by the Sudanese people in terms of severe suffering and loss of basic resources is unacceptable.

The continued military attacks destroying infrastructure and imposing a heavy price on the Sudanese people pose a significant challenge to the future and stability of Sudan. The fighting must cease, and peaceful solutions must be reached to protect the lives of citizens and safeguard the country’s resources.

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