The Sudanese government approved the opening of four airports today, Sunday, to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid to those in need across the country, amidst the ongoing war that erupted in April 2023. The four airports are Kassala, Dongola, El-Obeid, and Kadugli, which were agreed upon between the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, the leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the President of South Sudan.
With this step, there are now six airports available for international organizations, along with seven land crossings that had been previously approved, according to the Sudanese News Agency (SUNA).
SUNA also reported that active coordination is currently underway to initiate flights to transport humanitarian aid to South Kordofan State via Juba Airport to Kadugli Airport.
The agency added, “With this, the Sudanese government has met all requirements for the entry and flow of humanitarian aid by air, land, and sea.”
The war in Sudan broke out on April 15, 2023, between the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), in various parts of Sudan, with most clashes centered in the capital, Khartoum, resulting in hundreds of civilian casualties and injuries.
Arab, African, and international parties have mediated to establish a ceasefire, but these efforts have failed to achieve a lasting halt to the fighting. Disputes between the Chairman of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council—leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the leader of the Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, became public after the signing of the “Framework Agreement” last December, which laid the foundation for a transitional period between military and civilian components and stipulated the military’s withdrawal from politics and the transfer of power to civilians.
