Early-morning strikes near Khartoum International Airport raise security concerns as fighting between Sudanese army and RSF continues
Khartoum, Sudan — A series of drone attacks hit Sudan’s capital, including areas near Khartoum International Airport, just a day before the airport’s planned reopening, according to eyewitnesses and media reports. Explosions were reported between 4am and 6am (02:00–04:00 GMT), disrupting preparations to resume civilian flights.
The airport had been closed since fighting erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group. Substantial renovations were carried out after the army reclaimed full control of the capital in March.
Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited the airport following the attacks, stating the military’s duty is to “ensure protection and security for all Sudanese”, and promising that “no one will be able to threaten this land”. Witnesses reported at least eight blasts, which Sudanese media attributed to suicide drones launched by the RSF. Some of the drones were reportedly intercepted by the military, though strikes also hit Omdurman, north of Khartoum, which houses key military installations.
This marks the third drone attack in a week on the capital, with previous strikes targeting army bases in northwest Khartoum. While Khartoum has remained relatively calm since the army’s counteroffensive, drone attacks on military and civilian infrastructure continue to pose a threat, raising concerns about the safety of returning residents and future civilian flights.
The wider war in Sudan has devastated the country, killing tens of thousands, displacing nearly 12 million people, and creating the world’s largest displacement and hunger crises. RSF forces are now concentrated in the west, surrounding el-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur outside their control, prompting UN warnings of potential large-scale, ethnically driven attacks.
Despite these attacks, al-Burhan recently signaled willingness to discuss peace under pressure from the Quad countries — the US, Egypt, UAE, and Saudi Arabia — but emphasized that the RSF would have no role in Sudan’s future.
As Khartoum continues its reconstruction efforts, residents and authorities remain on high alert, with ongoing drone attacks threatening infrastructure, civilian lives, and the fragile progress toward stability.