Khartoum international airport (KRT) in addition to parts of the Sudanese capital were engulfed in fierce fighting between the Sudanese army and a militia called “Rapid Support Force” (RSF) on April 15, 2023.
The clashes are related to disagreements between the federal government and the aforementioned armed faction over power-sharing arrangements and so they quickly prolonged to other areas throughout the African country.
By the top of the day greater than 50 people had reportedly been killed and a number of other hundred wounded because of this of the firefight, which saw also Mig-29 fighter jets operating at low altitude over the capital city.
On the time fighting broke out, Khartoum airport was operating normally and a number of other industrial flights and diverse passengers and crew found themselves relatively unexpectedly in the midst of the battle.
At the very least two industrial aircraft were heavily damaged and possibly destroyed.
A Saudia A330-300 (HZ-AQ30), which was on the point of operate flight SV458 to Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH) when the fighting erupted, appears to have been heavily damaged.
Likewise, plumes of heavy smoke were also seen coming out of a SkyUp Boeing 737-800.
The Ukrainian carrier had two of its aircraft at Khartoum airport (UR-SQH and UR-SQA) on the time.
Neither the extent of the damage, which is believed to have been severe, nor the existence of possible victims is understood for the time being.
Footage shows also a 3rd aircraft, an Embraer ERJ135 operating for the United Nations, to have been destroyed on the bottom as well.
Saudia published an official statement on its website acknowledging that considered one of its aircraft had been affected by “an accident” and that it was working with the Saudi embassy and the relevant authorities to acquire more information.
Other images showed heavily armed militiamen and soldiers roaming through the airport tarmac and its terminals while travellers were in search of shelter. Damage to the facilities seems to have been considerable as well.
All major international airlines have cancelled their flights to Sudan and quite a few long-haul flights were forced to divert or change their flightpaths so as to avoid Sudanese airspace.