The allegations, renewed on Thursday, follow a series of drone attacks that have disabled power stations, damaged fuel installations and disrupted electricity supplies across army-controlled areas of Sudan.
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Muawiya Osman Khalid said Sudan possessed information indicating that drones targeting civilian infrastructure had originated from Ethiopian territory, including locations near Bahir Dar Airport.
Speaking at an event organised by the Sudan News Agency in Khartoum, Khalid described the alleged cross-border operations as a threat to regional security and said Sudan reserved the right to protect its territory.
The Sudanese government has also accused the United Arab Emirates of involvement in supporting attacks against its infrastructure. Neither Ethiopia’s alleged role nor the accusations concerning the UAE have been independently established. Addis Ababa has previously rejected allegations of facilitating drone operations against Sudan.
Officials from Sudan’s defence, foreign affairs and information ministries, alongside representatives of the General Intelligence Service, presented drone fragments, satellite imagery and flight-path coordinates during a briefing on Wednesday.
They claimed the material demonstrated that aircraft involved in attacks on electricity installations and other civilian facilities had departed from locations inside Ethiopia.
Independent verification of the technical information remains unavailable, leaving unresolved whether the drones originated in Ethiopia or whether Ethiopian authorities authorised, facilitated or knew about any alleged launches.
The diplomatic accusations coincided with further damage to Sudan’s electricity network. Drone strikes hit the Um Dabaker thermal power station in Rabak, White Nile state, early Thursday, interrupting electricity supplies to White Nile and North Kordofan.
The attack reportedly damaged the station’s main electricity feeders and control facilities, forcing operations to stop. Witnesses described explosions and smoke rising from the installation.
Wednesday’s attacks struck electricity and fuel facilities in El Manaqil, Gezira state, causing widespread blackouts. Drones also targeted fuel storage installations near Haya in Red Sea state, including infrastructure connected to the Bashayer oil export terminal.
Civil defence personnel extinguished fires following the El Manaqil strikes. No immediate casualties among personnel at the affected installations were confirmed.
A separate drone strike on Tuesday disabled the Al-Markhiyat electricity transformer station northwest of Omdurman, disrupting supplies across parts of greater Khartoum.
Sudan’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum initiated technical assessments of the damaged equipment to establish repair requirements and restore services.
The attacks followed strikes on Monday against electricity facilities in Gezira, Sennar, Gedaref and White Nile states. Sudan Electricity Holding Company identified affected installations at El Geneid, Singa, El Hawata, El Faw and Mashkour.
The state-owned electricity operator warned that extensive damage to transformers and associated equipment threatened the stability of the national grid.
Sudanese authorities have attributed the broader campaign against electricity infrastructure to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which have been fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces since April 2023.
However, the government’s allegations concerning Ethiopia raise a separate question about whether the paramilitary organisation has received operational assistance from outside Sudan.
Information Undersecretary Graham Abdel Qader said attacks had affected civilian facilities across Khartoum, Gezira, White Nile, Sennar, Blue Nile and Red Sea states.
He alleged that hospitals, mosques and residential neighbourhoods had also been targeted, warning that damage to essential infrastructure threatened agricultural activity and efforts to resettle displaced communities.
The Emergency Lawyers group separately condemned drone strikes against electricity and fuel installations on October 27 and 28, attributing responsibility to the RSF.
The organisation said approximately 13 electricity stations had been targeted during October, warning that continued destruction threatened water supplies, healthcare services and food distribution.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has expressed concern about escalating drone attacks on civilian infrastructure, highlighting the disruption of electricity and water services.
Humanitarian organisations have warned that prolonged power interruptions could affect hospitals, water pumping stations and other facilities serving populations already experiencing severe hardship.
The electricity attacks have unfolded alongside intensified drone warfare between Sudan’s rival military forces, with civilian areas exposed to strikes beyond conventional front lines.
The conflict has displaced millions and damaged essential infrastructure, complicating emergency repairs and the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Sudan’s electricity authorities have said engineering teams are assessing damaged installations, while the scale of repairs and the timetable for restoring supplies remain uncertain across affected districts.
Follow Arabian Post
Select Arabian Post as your preferred source on Google and MSN News for trusted business news and Arab politics and updates.
