Sudan, 24 October 2025 - Drone strikes have once again targeted Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, and its main airport, in what marks the fourth consecutive attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The latest assault comes just two days after the first passenger flight in two years landed in the war-torn city.
According to witnesses who spoke to Al Jazeera, explosions and the sound of drones were heard over the capital in the early hours of Friday, sending shockwaves through the few residents who have remained in the city. The attacks disrupted the hope that had followed the partial reopening of Khartoum International Airport earlier in the week.
The Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority announced the resumption of limited domestic flights on Wednesday after technical assessments confirmed the airport’s readiness for operations. The move was seen as a symbolic step towards reconnecting Khartoum with other parts of the country.
Badr Airlines made history on Wednesday afternoon when one of its flights from Port Sudan successfully landed in the capital — the first commercial flight to do so since 2023. However, the hope that the reopening signalled a return to normalcy quickly faded as RSF drones struck the area soon after.
The RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have been locked in a brutal conflict since April 2023, fighting for control of the country’s key territories, including the capital. The war has devastated Sudan’s infrastructure and plunged the nation into what the United Nations describes as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
More than 12 million people have been displaced, while nearly four million children are suffering from severe malnutrition. Basic services have collapsed, and aid agencies continue to warn of famine and disease outbreaks in areas cut off by the fighting.
RSF Drone Strikes Continue to Hit Khartoum Days After Airport Reopened
Drone Strikes Again, Just Two Days After First Flight in Two Years at Khartoum Airport