{"id":20139945,"date":"2026-10-21T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20139945"},"modified":"2026-10-21T18:09:50","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T16:09:50","slug":"khartoum-airport-under-drone-fire-as-safety-concerns-mount","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/khartoum-airport-under-drone-fire-as-safety-concerns-mount","title":{"rendered":"Khartoum airport under drone fire as safety concerns mount"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Repeated drone attacks near the Sudan capital’s airport have disrupted flights and raised questions about passenger safety, while aviation experts call for a temporary suspension of commercial operations pending an independent risk assessment.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five successive waves of drone attacks attributed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have struck Khartoum, including areas around the capital\u2019s international airport, killing a man and four children and raising fresh concerns over aviation safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The attacks targeted seven locations across the city, according to Radio Dabanga. Air defences reportedly intercepted threats directed at the airport and its facilities, while a drone fell in an unoccupied area east of the runway, with no casualties reported at the site.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Governor of Khartoum visits Khartoum Airport after it was attacked by drones – October 20, 2026 (Photo: Khartoum State Media)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The attacks have exposed conflicting accounts of airport operations, left passengers uncertain about their flights, and prompted calls for a temporary suspension of commercial services until an independent safety assessment can be completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Confusion over flights leaves passengers in the dark<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) in Sudan said some flights had been disrupted by the attacks. Passengers also reported arriving at Khartoum airport only to discover that their flights had been cancelled, without prior notification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One woman said she learnt that her flight had been cancelled only after reaching the airport. When she contacted the travel agency responsible for her booking, she was told that the flight remained scheduled in the electronic booking system. Meanwhile, another flight took off at around the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The passenger said she supported security measures intended to protect lives, but argued that airlines and the relevant authorities still had a moral and administrative responsibility to notify travellers officially of cancellations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A senior airport official, however, insisted that flights were continuing according to airlines\u2019 published schedules, saying the situation was stable, services were operating normally, and air traffic had not been affected by the bombardment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sudan\u2019s national carrier, Sudan Airways (Sudanair), also continued operating through the airport. One of its flights from Cairo landed on Tuesday morning before departing for Port Sudan International Airport. The aircraft subsequently returned to Khartoum and left for Jeddah, demonstrating the authorities\u2019 determination to maintain operations despite the attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amjad Farid, an adviser to the head of Sudan\u2019s Sovereignty Council, said in a post on X that Khartoum airport was continuing to operate normally under established procedures and that life in the capital was returning to normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He accused unnamed parties of spreading rumours that the airport had closed, describing this as an attempt to achieve what he said the indiscriminate drone attacks had failed to accomplish: preventing the restoration of normal life and the return of Sudanese people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aviation experts call for temporary suspension<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sudanese Centre for Civil Aviation Research and Studies has recommended temporarily suspending commercial operations at Khartoum airport in response to the deteriorating security situation and mounting risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a professional assessment issued in October 2026, the centre said any decision on operations should be based on a formal safety risk assessment and an independent, evidence-based evaluation of safety standards, rather than economic considerations or political pressure to demonstrate a return to normality in the capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The centre said its recommendation was not intended to undermine efforts to reopen the airport, which resumed operations in October last year after a shutdown imposed by the war. Instead, it argued, a temporary suspension would help protect the reopening process and ensure its long-term sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A single accident in an active conflict zone, it warned, could have consequences extending beyond loss of life and property. These could include a loss of confidence among international airlines, higher insurance premiums and international warnings or restrictions that might force the airport to close for a longer period. The centre outlined several measures, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temporarily suspending commercial flights until a comprehensive, updated assessment of risk levels has been completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Establishing a multidisciplinary team to assess immediate security, operational and technical risks around the airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Separating decisions on reopening from political timetables and allowing access to Sudanese airspace only when acceptable safety standards have been met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resuming operations in stages, beginning with restricted services before moving systematically towards full operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Involving airlines, air navigation personnel and insurance companies in the risk assessment process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recommendations place the emphasis on independently assessed safety conditions rather than the symbolic significance of restoring airport operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Information vacuum fuels rumours<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The security concerns have been compounded by a lack of official public information about the airport\u2019s operational status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While social media users and journalists circulated reports that the airport had closed, its verified Facebook page, which has more than 250,000 followers, provided no clarification or operational updates. Its published content was limited to condolence messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Journalistic inquiries found that the page, originally established through the initiative of airport officers with previous administrative support, had stopped publishing news and operational updates following strict management instructions prohibiting such posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specialists quoted in the report warned that withholding official information and maintaining media silence on security grounds created a dangerous vacuum that could be filled by rumours and inaccurate speculation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This, they said, risked confusing passengers and damaging the reputation of Sudan\u2019s national aviation institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Official communication and transparency, the report argues, are integral to crisis management and aviation safety, particularly when attacks threaten critical infrastructure and leave travellers uncertain about whether flights are operating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The competing accounts of airport operations, together with calls for an independent safety review, have brought into focus the challenge facing Sudanese aviation authorities: how to restore commercial air travel while ensuring that security risks are properly assessed and passengers receive timely, reliable information.<\/p>\n