Targeting Infrastructure by Rapid Support Forces… Militia Resorts to a Scorched Earth Policy

Sudan Events – Agencies

Amani Al-Sir (a pseudonym), who resides in the Northern State, woke up to a phone call informing her that she could not attend her radiation therapy sessions at Meroe Hospital, after being diagnosed with cancer. The attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the Dongola power station earlier that morning (Monday) prevented her, along with other patients, from continuing their treatment.

Since the Sudanese Army entered the city of Wad Madani last week, the terrorist militia has resorted to targeting vital facilities and infrastructure across the country. In the past few days, the militia has focused its attacks on electricity stations, including the main Meroe Dam power station, the Meroe city power station in the Northern State, and the Shouk transmission power station in the Gedaref State in the eastern part of the country. Similar attacks have also targeted the power stations in the cities of Sennar and Atbara in the Sennar and Nile River States.

The spokesperson for the Sudanese Army, Major General Nabil Abdullah, stated that the continuous targeting of civilians, infrastructure, and national facilities by the RSF is not surprising, adding that this “criminal” militia does not belong to the country and does not resemble its people. He explained in a press statement that the militia’s leader and his brother had repeatedly threatened, even before the war, to tear the country apart and destroy it at every opportunity, and that the entire Sudanese people had been watching and would not forget this.

He continued, “What is surprising is their insistence, as leaders and individuals, to keep repeating their absurd lies about the welfare of the citizens and the nation, while they fundamentally harbor nothing but blind hatred and deep malice for it. When they failed to achieve their illusions of ruling, they are now attempting to destroy it.”

Meanwhile, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned, in a statement, the terrorist actions carried out by the RSF that deprive civilians of essential services through attacks on them. It called on the international community to condemn such actions and to classify the “Rapid Support Forces” as a terrorist group.

The Sudanese Electricity Holding Company stated that the fire that broke out this morning (Monday) at the Dongola power station was caused by an attack by the RSF. In a press statement, the company explained that the main cause was the explosion of a suicide drone, which resulted in power outages in several locations. The company confirmed that a team of engineers, technicians, and workers had been dispatched to the site to assess the damages and work on fixing them as soon as possible.

Through these practices, the RSF aims to deprive citizens of benefiting from this essential service, which in turn affects the provision of other vital services such as telecommunications, water supply, and the destruction of the country’s infrastructure, causing economic losses to the government and terrorizing citizens in secure states, in conjunction with the victories achieved by the Sudanese Army in Khartoum, Al-Jazeera, and Darfur.

Amani was not the only one affected by the power outage in the state, which depends on agriculture as the primary occupation for its residents. The power outage causes significant losses, as confirmed by Ibrahim Ahmed, a local resident, who told Al-Muhaqqiq that long power outages severely impact irrigation schedules, which rely on water pumps powered by electricity.

Political and economic analyst Dr. Khalid Al-Tijani stated that the economic impact of the RSF’s targeting of vital facilities is evident, confirming that the militia’s actions are not intended to achieve economic losses but are a venting of frustration for their forces. He added that their goal is to spoil the joy of citizens at the army’s progress and create a sense of insecurity.

He noted that attacking any service facility punishes the citizen, not the army or government, and disrupts citizens’ interests, resulting in economic losses for both citizens and the government.

Al-Tijani pointed out that one of the most important clauses in the Jeddah Agreement was the protection of civilians, noting that this agreement is based on international law and the law protecting human rights. He added that international humanitarian law is based on the basic principle of engagement between warring parties and how to protect civilians during wars, distinguishing between combatants and civilians.

He emphasized that international law strictly prohibits targeting civilians and civilian objects, which is considered a violation of international law. He continued, “Since the first week of the war, the RSF’s focus has shifted from fighting the army to waging a war against civilians in all forms, including theft and targeting public services such as hospitals, schools, and electricity stations.”

He added, “The RSF’s practice of targeting electricity stations is not new, confirming that the behavior of these forces is not a sudden or incidental action, but rather a systematic targeting.”

Al-Tijani concluded that the militia’s actions are strictly prohibited under international law, and that these practices have been ongoing since the war’s onset, confirming that it is a war against the citizen, not any other party. He emphasized that the RSF’s targeting of power stations shows desperation, as they are militarily in a difficult situation and unable to achieve victories. Instead, they seek to cause damage to infrastructure as a means of releasing their sense of defeat and creating a false sense of insecurity among citizens.

Al-Tijani also expressed surprise at the international community’s passive stance while RSF violations continue, despite sanctions being imposed on the country’s president and accusations against the army of committing violations.

For his part, economic analyst Khalid Saad believes that the RSF’s targeting of infrastructure is an attempt at exhaustion, as rebuilding these facilities is costly both economically and socially for the army, which is trying to restore its wounded prestige in Wad Madani.

Saad explained that targeting infrastructure like electricity, which was previously available in army-controlled areas, is something the RSF cannot provide in areas under its control, and thus they seek to create an equilibrium between their areas of control and the secure regions. He added that the economic effects of these practices lie in the destruction of infrastructure in secure areas and the strain on services, especially electricity. Given that Sudan faces fundamental challenges in development, these disruptions hinder both local and foreign investment plans, as infrastructure is one of the key factors in attracting investment.

He also pointed out that the state’s treasury has lost significant resources due to the war, meaning that the cost of repairs and reconstruction will reduce the war budget. Furthermore, such destructive operations increase the cost of reconstruction, as initial estimates only accounted for war zones.

Saad continued, “This situation is marked by economic uncertainty, which indirectly affects production and market movement (‘supply and demand’), as it increases the cost of fuel. The greater the demand for fuel, the more pressure it puts on the foreign exchange market and weakens the value of the national currency.” He warned that if the electrical transformers are damaged, goods that depend on this service might be taken out of production.

Saad concluded that the destruction of infrastructure is a reaction to losing Wad Madani and large parts of Al-Jazeera and other areas, which the RSF is losing, and thus they seek to show their capabilities to respond, maintain cohesion, and not collapse. This sends an implicit message that their military ambitions have no legal or humanitarian boundaries.

Source: Al-Muhaqqiq Website