Kenya, 22 October 2025 - Sudan’s Khartoum International Airport has reopened for the first time in more than two years, marking a symbolic yet risky step towards restoring normalcy in the war-torn capital, even as the city recovers from the most recent drone strikes.
On Wednesday afternoon, Badr Airlines flight from Port Sudan successfully landed in Khartoum, becoming the first commercial aircraft to touch down since 2023, when intense fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) forced the airport’s closure.
An official told Al Jazeera Arabic the flight remained on the ground briefly before returning to Port Sudan, which has served as the country’s temporary administrative hub since the conflict began.
The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that the airport is now open for limited domestic flights, with more routes expected to resume gradually as security conditions allow.
The reopening came just a day after a series of drone attacks targeted key installations near the airport, in what officials described as an attempt to disrupt the planned resumption of flights.
Witnesses reported loud explosions early Tuesday across East Nile, Haj Youssef, and Omdurman, with smoke seen rising near the airport’s perimeter.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but military sources blamed the RSF, which has been battling government forces for control of the capital since the conflict erupted in April 2023.
The RSF has used drones increasingly in recent months, striking both military and civilian targets.
Despite the violence, authorities say reopening the airport is a crucial step toward reconnecting Sudan’s regions and restoring public confidence.
The fighting has killed at least 40,000 people, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and displaced as many as 12 million others.
The UN says over 24 million people are facing acute food insecurity, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Domestic Air Traffic Resumes at Khartoum International Airport Despite Ongoing Conflict in Sudan
Khartoum International Airport Reopens After More Than Two Years
