Khartoum International Airport has resumed civilian operations with a single flight operated by Badr Airlines from Port Sudan.
The aircraft landed briefly before returning to Port Sudan, marking the first such activity since the facility closed on 15 April 2023 due to clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
The airport sustained damage during the conflict, including to 20 civilian aircraft, and remained under Rapid Support Forces occupation until the Sudanese Armed Forces regained control on 26 March 2025. Repairs focused on runways, terminals, and air traffic systems to enable domestic services.
The Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority had scheduled the initial reopening for 22 October but postponed it after drone strikes hit the airport area on 21 and 22 October. Those attacks caused minimal structural harm, with anti-aircraft defences intercepting several drones. Rapid Support Forces leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo issued a statement on 21 October vowing strikes on any airport supporting Sudanese Armed Forces operations. The facility includes an air force base, contributing to its status as a military target.
Over amilllion residents have returned to Khartoum since the city changed hands, according to the International Organization for Migration. Sudanese Armed Forces chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan inspected the site on 22 October following the strikes. Badr Airlines adjusted its timetable, cancelling bookings for 22 to 25 October and rescheduling the inaugural round trip for 26 October, though the 24 October landing proceeded under heightened security.
The United Nations describes the ongoing conflict as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 14m people displaced and aid funding at 27 per cent of requirements for 2025. Domestic flights will expand gradually, with international services planned for early 2026 pending stability assessments. Sudan Airways staff, relocated to Riyadh during the fighting, prepare to resume duties at the airport. The event coincides with renewed Sudanese Armed Forces advances in central Sudan, including the recapture of Wad Madani in Al Jazira state on 11 January 2025. Security sources report continued Rapid Support Forces drone capabilities from positions outside the capital.
The airport’s revival forms part of government efforts to restore infrastructure in recaptured areas. Travellers face restrictions, with only essential domestic routes active and mandatory security screenings. The facility once served as a hub for flights to the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. Reconstruction costs exceeded €50m, funded through government allocations and international loans. Local officials coordinate with airlines for phased expansions.
Witnesses described the 24 October landing as a quiet procedure under clear skies, with ground crews in position. The Sudanese pound trades at 3,500 to the euro amid shortages of goods due to security delays in supply chains. The reopening underscores persistent tensions in the capital, where artillery exchanges occurred in north-western districts last week.
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