Aid flights to Sudan ‘preceded by arrangements with belligerents’

The article describes Ibrahim Adlan both as 'former director of Sudan's Aviation Authority' and as 'former director of the Civil Aviation Authority,' and thus presents inconsistent titles for him.

“Report by Suleiman Siri for Radio Dabanga Aviation expert and former director of Sudan’s Aviation Authority, Ibrahim Adlan, has confirmed that the arrival of a World Food Programme (WFP) aircraft, or any other humanitarian initiative at Khartoum airport carries many great connotations, which he described as direct, undeclared political and sensitive security at this time, stressing that it will not be used for any military purposes again”

Dabanga Radio TV Online

Ibrahim Adlan told Radio Dabanga that the arrival of a World Food Programme (WFP) aircraft at Khartoum airport carries direct, undeclared political and sensitive security connotations.

Dabanga Radio TV Online

He said humanitarian flights into an area that has been the scene of military operations cannot occur without prior arrangements with the warring parties.

The article reports that a UN World Food Program flight landed at Khartoum airport last Thursday, the first such flight since the outbreak of war in Sudan nearly three years ago, according to the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in the country, Dennis Brown.

Adlan said the security arrangements were likely made between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.

He said all parties agreed to neutralise the airport as a starting point for humanitarian operations, conduct flights for this purpose, and distribute relief elsewhere.

Dabanga Radio TV Online

He predicted the United Nations would have obtained written security guarantees from the party controlling the airport site, the Sudanese Armed Forces.

He described extensive perimeter reviews and measures linked to a government decision to end military appearances inside Khartoum and to prevent the use of weapons within the scope of Khartoum airport during the humanitarian operation.

He said this means, in practice, there will be no person carrying a cannon or any type of weapon roaming in that area to protect crew, aircraft and relief supplies.

Adlan outlined procedures to ready air navigation, the control tower and communications, and described the Deconfliction Mechanism or Disengagement Mechanism used to coordinate and neutralise humanitarian operations from military targeting through exchange of coordinates, risk assessments and comprehensive security assessments.

“Report by Suleiman Siri for Radio Dabanga Aviation expert and former director of Sudan’s Aviation Authority, Ibrahim Adlan, has confirmed that the arrival of a World Food Programme (WFP) aircraft, or any other humanitarian initiative at Khartoum airport carries many great connotations, which he described as direct, undeclared political and sensitive security at this time, stressing that it will not be used for any military purposes again”

Dabanga Radio TV Online

Observers told Radio Dabanga that activating this mechanism at Khartoum airport reflects some level of direct or indirect coordination between the warring parties to allow aid passage.

The article also cites Adlan's previous comments about unannounced understandings between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces and talks with international bodies to reactivate the airport under a United Nations plan and a Quartet initiative involving the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates and the US President's Advisor for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos.

WFP spokesman Felipe Korf told Radio Dabanga that UNHAS flights to Khartoum began last Thursday after a nearly three-year hiatus, carried passengers from several UN agencies and NGOs, will operate weekly in the future, and that UNHAS is managed by WFP to provide safe, reliable and cost-effective transport for the wider humanitarian community.