RSF drone strikes hit Khartoum airport ahead of planned reopening

Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a series of drone attacks on Khartoum International Airport on Thursday,October 23,marking the third consecutive day of strikes. According to Sudan News,seven drones targeted the airport and surrounding areas in the southern part of the capital,sending waves of panic among residents as explosions echoed through the city.

The attacks come just days before the airport’s planned reopening following a two-year closure,with its first civilian passenger flight having landed on Wednesday. Security sources told Rakoba News that no significant damage was reported despite the intensity of the strikes.

Analysts say the latest assault signals a shift in the dynamics of Sudan’s ongoing conflict,as the RSF increasingly turns to drone warfare to apply military and political pressure on the Sudanese army. The civil war,which erupted in April 2023,has claimed more than 20,000 lives and displaced 14 million people,according to the United Nations and local authorities. There has been no immediate response from the RSF regarding Thursday’s attacks,but the continued escalation highlights the fragility of efforts to restore stability in Sudan.