A drone attack struck an area near the international airport in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, on Tuesday — just a day before the airport was scheduled to reopen for domestic flights for the first time since the country’s war began in 2023.
Residents reported hearing a series of explosions across several districts early in the morning. Unverified footage circulating on social media appeared to show multiple blasts near the airport.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The strike came barely 24 hours after Sudan’s Civil Aviation Authority announced plans to reopen Khartoum International Airport on Wednesday, following extensive repairs carried out after the army regained control of the city from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
According to the Sudan Tribune, a security source said that anti-aircraft defences intercepted several drones around 4:00 a.m. local time (02:00 GMT), but gave no further details on the outcome.
Tuesday’s attack marks the third strike in the capital within a week, after similar incidents targeted two army bases in north-west Khartoum on consecutive days last week.
The international airport has been closed since April 2023, when fierce fighting erupted between the Sudanese army and the RSF, who briefly seized control of the facility during the early phase of the conflict.
Since the army retook Khartoum in March this year, the city has experienced relative calm, though occasional attacks continue with the RSF frequently accused of launching long-range strikes on civilian and military infrastructure.
Currently, Port Sudan, located in the country’s east, remains Sudan’s only operational international airport, though it too has faced drone attacks in recent months.
The war, which began as a power struggle between the army and the RSF, has since drawn in other armed factions and foreign actors, deepening the crisis. The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, with the United Nations describing it as the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophe.
