UN and UK Condemn RSF Drone Attacks on Khartoum Airport as Closure Enters Fourth Day; Sudan PM Visits Site

The United Nations and the United Kingdom formally condemned RSF drone attacks on Khartoum International Airport as Khartoum airport operations remained suspended on May 8, 2026, entering a fourth consecutive day of closure following the May 5 drone interception. Sudan's Prime Minister visited the airport site to inspect the damage and assess security conditions, underscoring the political gravity of the attack on what had been heralded as a symbolic milestone — the airport's first resumed commercial operations since the civil war began in April 2023. A Dabanga Radio TV Online report confirmed UN agencies were still unable to use the airport for humanitarian logistics, disrupting planned acceleration of medical supply deliveries to Khartoum State. The 72-hour suspension originally announced on May 5 had elapsed, but SAF and civil aviation authorities had not formally announced a reopening schedule, citing ongoing security assessments. Sudan's Foreign Ministry reiterated that it expected the UN Security Council to act on its evidence package — including drone serial numbers and radar tracks — linking the attacks to UAE-supplied munitions launched from Ethiopia's Bahir Dar Airport. The UK government statement called the drone attacks 'an unacceptable escalation' that endangered civilian lives and humanitarian access. No independent verification of the Bahir Dar launch origin had been announced as of May 8. WFP confirmed its broader Sudan aid operations were not impacted by the airport closure, with alternative logistics corridors remaining functional through Port Sudan and ground routes.