Sudan21 October, 20252 min read
Unknown Forces Launch Drone Attack on Khartoum Airport Ahead of Reopening
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Drone attacks targeted Khartoum International Airport area ahead of its domestic flight reopening. Sudanese army regained control of Khartoum and key sites including the airport in late March.
7 outlets told this the same way.
Drone Attacks Near Khartoum Airport
An early-morning drone strike hit the area around Khartoum International Airport just a day before domestic flights were due to resume for the first time since April 2023. This marked the third such attack in a week amid a fragile calm in the capital. Witnesses reported drones and explosions between 4am and 6am.
“A drone strike targeted an area near Khartoum’s main international airport early Tuesday, just a day before the army-backed government planned to reopen the airport for domestic flights after more than two years of closure.”
Sudan’s military said it shot down some drones. No group has claimed responsibility, though the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are suspected or described as likely by some outlets.
Reports also note the use of “suicide drones.” Although the army regained control of Khartoum earlier this year, drone attacks have persisted around key military sites in Omdurman and near the airport.
Sudan Conflict and Recovery Efforts
Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan visited the airport after the strike, vowing to defeat the RSF rebellion. He also asserted that mercenaries and militia supporters will have no place in Sudan’s future. Military statements say the attack was repelled with limited losses, and the army claims tightened control over Khartoum since May.
At the same time, reporting highlights reconstruction efforts and power blackouts linked to drone activity. More than 800,000 residents have returned, and there are plans to relocate officials from Port Sudan back to the capital. These developments underscore a push to normalize the situation amid ongoing security risks.
Unclear Responsibility for Strike
Responsibility for the strike remains unclear across different reports. While several outlets say no group has claimed the attack, some directly attribute it to the RSF or present the RSF as the likely culprit.
“Sudanese Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan reaffirmed the army's commitment to eliminating the ongoing rebellion after the Rapid Support Forces launched a drone attack on Khartoum.”
This divergence ranges from cautious wording that the RSF is merely suspected to categorical statements that the RSF launched the drone attack. These differences illustrate conflicting assessments in real-time coverage.
Sudan Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis
The attack comes as Sudan’s wider war continues to ravage civilians. Estimates in coverage differ: some outlets cite nearly 12 million displaced and tens of thousands killed, while others report more than 13 million displaced and over 25 million facing hunger or famine. One outlet described the situation as the world’s largest displacement and hunger crises.
UN warnings focus on Darfur, where the RSF has encircled or is attempting to capture El-Fasher. This raises fears of large-scale ethnic violence.
Airport Reopening and Drone Attacks
The airport’s reopening is portrayed as both symbolic and risky. Outlets vary on timing—over two years, since April 2023, or 30 months—but agree flights were set to resume imminently when the drones hit. Some stress the technical nature of the strikes, describing them as "suicide drones."
“This attack occurred just before the planned reopening of Khartoum International Airport for domestic flights on Wednesday, marking the first operation since its closure 30 months ago due to conflict.”
Others highlight the precise witness timeline before dawn. Still others focus on the state’s normalization push, including relocating officials back to Khartoum. Together, these accounts depict a capital trying to reconstitute air links and governance under the shadow of recurring drone attacks.
