Khartoum — Widespread condemnation of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) drone attack on Khartoum airport on Monday, which led to the suspension of flights, continued. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, and Yemen condemned the incident, while regional organisations condemned the League of Arab States and the Muslim World League, while the United Nations expressed concern over the attack. The United States and the European Union called for an end to the attacks
The attack on Khartoum airport is the first of its kind since last October, after the regularity of domestic flights to the airport and the start of receiving flights. Ethiopia has denied Sudanese accusations of carrying out the attack.
US condemnation
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US Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos condemned the drone attack on Khartoum airport and other civilian sites, allegedly carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
said in a tweet on an unnamed platform that civilian targets should not be targeted, and that civilian airports are critical to the movement of humanitarian supplies and humanitarian workers. He stressed that these attacks represent an additional obstacle to the access of much-needed humanitarian assistance.
Boulos stressed the need to stop these attacks, accept a humanitarian truce by the warring parties, move towards a permanent ceasefire, and facilitate the transition to a civilian government based on an inclusive national dialogue
He also stressed that there is no military solution to this bloody conflict, stressing the need to immediately and categorically end external support for any of the parties to the conflict in Sudan, as any continued assistance that contributes to the continuation of the fighting will bear direct responsibility for prolonging the conflict and the suffering of the Sudanese people
European concern
Ambassador Wolfram Vetter, Head of Delegation of the European Union, expressed grave concern at the escalation of violence in Sudan and drone strikes near Khartoum airport, putting civilians, infrastructure, and aid at risk
In a statement, he called on the leadership of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to end this conflict. He also called on external parties to stop fueling the crisis and work to achieve regional stability.
Saudi denunciation and an invitation to neighboring countries
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s strong condemnation and denunciation of the targeting of a site in the Khartoum airport yard.
The Kingdom affirmed its firm position calling for preserving the unity of Sudan, its legitimate institutions, and the capabilities, security, and stability of its people, stressing the importance of keeping civilian objects and vital facilities away from conflict
The Kingdom called on the parties to calm down, immediately stop these violations, and respect the pledge made in the Jeddah Declaration signed on May 11 , 2023, in terms of the protection of civilians and civilian objects, and international humanitarian law.
The Kingdom also called on Sudan’s neighboring countries to respect its sovereignty and independence, and to prevent the use of their territory as a starting point for such attacks
Qatari, Kuwaiti and Yemeni positions
For its part, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its condemnation and denunciation of the targeting of a site in the courtyard of Khartoum International Airport, considering it an infringement on the sovereignty of Sudan and a violation of the rules of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
It affirmed Kuwait’s categorical rejection of harming civilian objects and vital facilities, stressing the importance of adhering to the pledges contained in the Jeddah Declaration to protect civilians and neutralise civilian facilities from the conflict
The State of Qatar condemned the targeting of a site in the courtyard of Khartoum International Airport by drones, considering it a flagrant violation of Sudan’s sovereignty and a clear violation of the rules of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reiterated the State of Qatar’s categorical rejection of targeting civilian objects and vital facilities, and reiterated its full support for the unity, sovereignty, and stability of Sudan
The Ministry also reiterated the position of the State of Qatar calling for resolving the armed conflict in Sudan through dialogue and peaceful means, in order to achieve the aspirations of its people for peace, development and prosperity
In the same context, the Republic of Yemen expressed its condemnation and denunciation of the targeting of a site inside Khartoum airport in the sisterly Republic of Sudan, as it represents a threat to the safety of civilians and a violation of international humanitarian law
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs affirmed its full support for Sudan’s sovereignty, security, and stability, calling on all parties to immediately cease escalation and adhere to the Jeddah Declaration, in order to ensure the protection of civilians and facilitate the access of humanitarian aid
Condemnation by the League of Arab States and the Muslim World League
The League of Arab States condemned in the strongest terms the attack on Monday at least three strategic locations in Sudan’s Khartoum state, including Khartoum International Airport, using drones.
The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said in a statement on Monday that the targeting of civilian facilities and vital infrastructure, this time from bases outside Sudanese territory, represents a dangerous escalation and a threat to regional peace and security, and exacerbates the humanitarian and security situation in Sudan
Aboul Gheit warned that such actions, regardless of their source, aim to expand the scope of the conflict and undermine Arab, African and international efforts to de-escalate and create conditions for an inclusive Sudanese civil dialogue, in a way that preserves Sudan’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and meets the aspirations of its people for security, peace and stability
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He also affirmed the Arab League’s full support for Sudan in preserving its security, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and preserving its infrastructure and national institutions, calling on all parties to refrain from any actions or positions that would disrupt regional and international efforts aimed at a comprehensive ceasefire, the revival of the Jeddah process, and the launch of a comprehensive national civil dialogue
The Muslim World League (MWL) strongly condemned the attack on a site at Khartoum airport in the Republic of Sudan
In a statement issued by the General Secretariat of the League, the Secretary-General and Chairman of the Council of Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, reiterated full solidarity with Sudan in the face of all threats to its security, stability, sovereignty, territorial integrity and legitimate institutions, stressing the urgent need to immediately stop these violations, comply with the contents of the “Jeddah Declaration” and the relevant international laws on the protection of civilians and civilian facilities, and spare the Sudanese people and their capabilities from the scourge of war and its repercussions.
