Sudan01 February, 20262 min read
Sudanese Government Reasserts Control of Khartoum, Allows First Scheduled Commercial Flight Since 2023
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Sudan Airways flight from Port Sudan landed at Khartoum International Airport with passengers This was the first scheduled commercial flight to Khartoum since the April 2023 war outbreak
6 outlets told this the same way.
Khartoum airport restart
Khartoum International Airport received its first publicly announced scheduled commercial flight since the outbreak of fighting in 2023. The flight was a Sudan Airways service from Port Sudan that carried passengers and restarted ticketed domestic connectivity. The airline offered promotional fares of around USD 50 to encourage travel as services resume.
“Khartoum International Airport received its first officially scheduled flight since the outbreak of war nearly three years ago: a Sudan Airways flight from Port Sudan carrying passengers.”
Airport officials said the facility has been rehabilitated and can now receive multiple aircraft, signaling the resumption of domestic and potentially international links. The flight prompted visible public reaction at the airport as Sudan seeks to normalise transport after prolonged disruption.
Resumption of Khartoum flights
The restoration of scheduled service follows a shift in control of the capital. Al Jazeera and Devdiscourse report the military announced it had regained Khartoum from the RSF and that government headquarters returned from Port Sudan earlier this year. Both outlets present contexts that link the flight's resumption to the reassertion of government authority.
Reporting differs, however, on whether this was strictly the 'first' commercial arrival. Some outlets call it the first publicly announced scheduled flight since air traffic was suspended.
Others note a privately owned Badr Airlines flight and a single unannounced arrival were recorded earlier. That makes the count depend on how 'scheduled' and 'publicly announced' are defined.
Airport security and recovery
All outlets note the airport was heavily damaged early in the conflict and has undergone rehabilitation. Al Jazeera and Devdiscourse report prior drone attacks, with Al Jazeera referencing an intercepted RSF drone and Devdiscourse noting RSF drones striking during earlier reopening attempts.
“The privately owned Badr Airlines operated the first post-war commercial flight in October, when RSF drones attacked the airport during reopening attempts.”
Daily Sabah and Sudan Horizon emphasize renovation work, completed security measures, and that the airport can now receive multiple aircraft. These variations reflect different balances between reporting ongoing security risks and stressing operational recovery.
Media framing of airport reopening
Al Jazeera frames the flight as a political milestone, linking it to the military's reclaiming of Khartoum and the relocation of government offices. Daily Sabah emphasizes senior officials' returns and cites U.N. figures on displaced and returning populations to stress the human consequences.
Sudan Horizon focuses on infrastructure and operational details, prioritizing the restoration of connectivity rather than casualty counts. All outlets agree the airport reopened but assign different priorities and significance to that event.
Responses to resumed flight
Reporting converges that the scheduled flight is a symbolic and practical step toward restoring normal transport links. Outlets warn that risks remain: promotional fares aim to stimulate travel and signal recovery, yet past attacks and the need for continued security upkeep temper optimism. How each outlet presents the balance—jubilation and state return (Al Jazeera, Daily Sabah) versus cautious emphasis on rehabilitation and remaining threats (Sudan Horizon, Devdiscourse)—shapes readers' sense of whether the flight marks a durable return to normalcy or only an initial, fragile step.
“The airline offered promotional fares around USD 50 to encourage travel as domestic services restart.”