Drone attack reported to cause fire at fuel depot and power station in Al Manaqil, Sudan
Oct 2026Published 3 Nov 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
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What happened
Misbar reported on 31 October 2026 that drones attacked infrastructure in Al Manaqil, a city in Sudan's Al Jazirah State, in the early hours of 28 October. Footage circulating online showed a fire at a fuel depot after the attack. Local sources told Sudan Tribune that the drones targeted the Al Manaqil power station, a fuel distribution station and a fuel depot, and that the attacks caused power outages across the city and surrounding areas.
Civil defence teams extinguished the fires. The BBC, citing sources, reported that the strike hit the main transformer at the electricity supply station. Misbar compared Sentinel-2 satellite images from 23 and 28 October and said signs of fire at the depot and the transmission substation, not visible on 23 October, were likely to have resulted from the attack. No casualties were reported. Sudanese authorities accused the Rapid Support Forces, which has neither claimed responsibility nor commented on the accusations. The satellite images do not establish who carried out the attack. The outage duration and the cost of damage were not reported.
Contributing factors
The source attributes the damage to a drone attack, but the attacker is not established. Sudanese authorities accused the Rapid Support Forces. The source reports an escalation of drone attacks on power stations and fuel sites in several Sudanese states in October 2026. The Sudan Electricity Company announced on 26 October that five transmission substations had been targeted.
Lessons learned
- Substations and main transformers in conflict zones are high-value targets, so operators should plan for physical protection, spare units and rapid restoration of supply.
- Fuel depots and fuel distribution points should be kept at a safe separation distance from electrical substations to limit fire spread.
- Holding spare transformers or mobile substation capacity shortens the outage when a main transformer is damaged.
- Operators should agree response arrangements with civil defence teams in advance so that fires at energy sites are contained quickly.
More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, spacing, layout and fire spread, outages, backup supply and restoration, from every incident on the register.
Source
Other entries that name Manaqil
Published 2026-11-03. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
