Khartoum, Sudan reopens following military coup
Khartoum airport reopened on Wednesday afternoon (October 27) after Sudan’s Civil Aviation Authority cancelled an earlier NOTAM according to which all incoming and outgoing flights had been suspended until 0200L (1200Z) on Saturday, October 30, 2021, following a military takeover in the country.
The announcement of the re-opening was made by Khartoum International Airport, which also published a copy of both NOTAMs.
Earlier on October 27, Sudanese private carrier Badr Airlines had grounded seven aircraft at the capital airport and cancelled its flights to Istanbul New, while fellow Sudanese carrier Tarco Air had cancelled its flights to Doha Hamad Int’l. At least nine international airlines had suspended their flights to the country, including Qatar Airways to/from Doha; SAUDIA – Saudi Arabian Airlines and flynas from Jeddah and Riyadh; Emirates and flydubai from Dubai Int’l; Air Arabia from Sharjah; EgyptAir from Cairo Int’l; Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa; and Turkish Airlines from Istanbul New, according to Flightradar24 ADS-B data.
Meanwhile, at least seven people were killed and 140 injured in clashes between soldiers and street protesters responding to a call to resist the military coup, Reuters reports.
The head of the armed forces, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, has declared a state of emergency and has dissolved the country’s transitional government. The parties had been sharing power since the ouster of autocrat Omar al-Bashir more than two years ago.
After refusing to endorse the coup, armed forces had arrested Prime Minister Abdullah Hamdok and his family, the Sudanese Information Ministry said on its Facebook page. Members of the Transitional Sovereignty Council and several Transitional Government ministers were also detained.
The Ministry said internet services were cut across the country and the main roads and bridges connecting with Khartoum were closed. Soldiers had stormed the headquarters of Sudan’s state broadcaster in the city of Omdurman.
People took to the streets, setting tyres ablaze and piling rows of bricks across roads to block them in protest against the military move, reported Agence France Press.
The take-over follows a failed military coup last month, which led to increased tensions between the military and the civilian administration.
Several countries, including the US, the UK, Ireland, Norway, Estonia, and France have requested an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to resolve the situation in Sudan.