Drone Attack Strikes Khartoum as Airport Reopening Approaches

Wed Oct 22 2025 05:32:32 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A drone strike near Sudan's international airport in Khartoum occurred a day before it was set to resume domestic flights, marking escalating tensions in the region.

Sudan's capital, Khartoum, was shaken by a drone attack near the international airport, just one day before its reopening for domestic flights. Despite the attack, which has no reported casualties or responsibility claimed yet, the gradual return to normalcy in Khartoum faces ongoing violence as clashes persist. The Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority had announced the airport's reopening after significant repairs following months of conflict. This attack reflects the ongoing instability and heightened security concerns in the region, further complicating recovery efforts after extensive destruction during the conflict.

A drone attack has hit an area near the international airport in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, a day before it was set to resume domestic flights for the first time since the outbreak of war in 2023.

Residents of the city reported hearing explosions in several districts early on Tuesday morning. Social media images - yet to be verified by the BBC - appear to show a series of blasts.

There is no information on casualties or damage, and no-one has claimed responsibility.

On Monday, Sudan's Civil Aviation Authority announced the airport would reopen on Wednesday, months after the army recaptured Khartoum from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and began repairing the heavily damaged airport.

Tuesday's strike marked the third attack in the capital within a week, following strikes on two army bases in north-west Khartoum on consecutive days last week.

The Sudan Tribune news website cites a security source stating that anti-aircraft defenses intercepted several drones after 04:00 local time (02:00 GMT) but detailed information on any damage was not provided.

The international airport shut down shortly after fighting erupted between the army and the RSF in April 2023, when the paramilitary force took control of it.

Port Sudan, located in the east, remains the only functioning international airport in the country, although it has also faced drone targeting.

Khartoum had remained relatively calm since the army retook control of the city in March, but attacks have persisted, with the RSF fanning efforts to target civilian and military infrastructure.

The ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands and displaced millions from their homes. What began as a power struggle between the army and RSF has expanded, also drawing in other Sudanese armed groups and foreign interests, leading the UN to characterize the situation as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.