A drone strike struck the vicinity of Khartoum International Airport early Tuesday, causing panic and raising serious doubts about the airport’s planned reopening, which was set for Wednesday after a two-year shutdown.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing drone sounds followed by multiple explosions at the airport. Authorities are currently assessing the damage from the attack.
The strike represents a significant setback for Sudanese authorities, who were preparing to resume domestic flights for the first time since the airport was extensively damaged and forced to close at the start of the ongoing conflict. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) first attacked the airport at the war’s outset. Reconstruction only became possible after the Sudanese army retook control of Khartoum state in May. Until now, international travel has been funneled through Port Sudan’s airport, with limited domestic operations at a few other airfields.
A spokesperson on the ground in Port Sudan, Naba, confirmed the attack’s profound impact on public morale and displacement efforts. “Many people were panicked and afraid that this will of course hinder any efforts to convince hundreds of thousands of families to return to Khartum,” Naba stated, noting that people had been “very happy” about the planned resumption of flights.
Naba suggested the attack was anticipated, stating, “It was expected that the RSF will attack the Khartum airport,” and accused the group of targeting civilian infrastructure “to send the message that there is no safe place for people.”
The consequences are expected to be far-reaching. The spokesperson detailed that the attack will impact the movement of people and goods, as well as trade. Crucially, it has created skepticism among displaced families about returning to the capital. A United Nations report had previously registered that over 1.3 million Sudanese were expected to return to Khartoum by July, with current estimates rising toward 2 million.
“I’m hearing that some people are changing their mind about returning to the capital Khartum,” Naba reported.
The path forward, according to the spokesperson, hinges on improved security, including securing the airport itself and further military advances by the Sudanese army against RSF positions in neighboring areas. A lasting resolution, however, was linked to the waring parties accepting peace efforts.
The attack comes as the European Union has warned it is ready to impose further sanctions on those responsible for fueling the conflict. As of the latest reports, the Sudanese government and the Sovereign Council have not formally reacted to the EU’s threat. However, the spokesperson suggested that people on the ground see the sanctions as a tool “to push on the two waring parties to accept the road map and to sit on negotiation tables.”
The reopening of Khartoum International Airport was seen as a critical lifeline for reconnecting families and allowing aid groups to deliver much-needed supplies. This drone strike now casts severe doubt on that prospect, exacerbating the economic, social, and security crisis for millions of Sudanese people.
