Sudan’s war-torn capital sees second commercial flight land since conflict began

Описание: (1 Feb 2026)
RESTRICTONS SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Khartoum, Sudan - 1 February 2026
1. Wide of first commercial flight on tarmac, having flown from port Sudan
2. Various of passengers and officials descending plane steps waving and shouting "God is great"
3. Wide exterior of Khartoum airport, banner reading (in English and Arabic) "Khartoum international Airport"
4. Various of passengers in departures hall, waiting to board the first flight from Khartoum to Port Sudan
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Musab Suwar Al-Dhahab, Sudanese citizen waiting to board first flight from Khartoum to Port Sudan:
"I have mixed feelings of joy and immense happiness because the airport is open, and with that, the country and the capital are back. God willing, we will recover and all the effects of the war will disappear."
6. Mid of passengers in departures hall
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Salma Idris, employee at the aviation academy:
"Today we are welcoming the Sudan Airways plane, and we are very happy and proud to receive this aircraft since the outbreak of the war. We wish them continued success and express our feelings of joy and happiness at their arrival."
8. Mid of airport staff at check in desks
9. Exterior of Khartoum international Airport

STORYLINE:
A commercial flight landed in the Sudanese capital on Sunday for the second time since a devastating war broke out in the north-eastern African country nearly three years ago.

The domestic flight, operated by the national flag carrier SUDANAIR, landed at Khartoum International Airport on Sunday afternoon, according to the state-run SUNA news agency.

The flight took off on Sunday morning from the eastern Red Sea city of Port Sudan, which had served as an interim seat for the government until the administration moved back to Khartoum earlier this year, SUNA said.

The reopening of Khartoum International Airport was a crucial step in the government’s efforts to normalise life in the capital, which has been wrecked during the ongoing war between the military and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

"The country and the capital are back. God willing, we will recover and all the effects of the war will disappear," said passenger, Musab Suwar Al-Dhaha, as he waited to board his flight.

Sunday’s flight was the second commercial flight to arrive in Khartoum since a flight operated by the private-owned Badr Airlines landed in the airport in October last year.

At the time the RSF launched drones at the airport to disrupt the government efforts to reopen the facility.

The war began in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the RSF exploded into open fighting in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country.

The airport was severely damaged in the first weeks of the war.

The devastating war has killed more than 40,000 people, according to UN figures, but aid groups say that is an undercount and the true number could be many times higher.

It created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis with over 14 million people forced to flee their homes.

It fuelled disease outbreaks and pushed parts of the country into famine.

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