Kuwait Airways lands in Khartoum for first time since 1990, breaking war hiatus

Key facts

• Kuwait Airways flight arrived at Khartoum International Airport on Tuesday, the first since 1990.
• The flight carried approximately 292-300 Sudanese citizens returning under voluntary repatriation programs.
• The airport had been closed to international traffic since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023.
• Sudanese Ambassador to Kuwait Awadelkarim Elrayah Balla called the arrival a 'historic milestone'.
• Kuwaiti Ambassador to Sudan Dr. Fahad Al-Dhafiri confirmed the flight was the first international landing since the war began.
• Kuwait previously operated air and sea bridges delivering thousands of tons of humanitarian aid to Sudan.
• The Sudanese community in Kuwait is estimated at 40,000 people.
• Flight time between Kuwait and Khartoum is approximately 2 hours and 25 minutes.

A blue bird returns to the Blue Nile

A Kuwait Airways jet touched down at Khartoum International Airport on Tuesday, the first direct international flight to the Sudanese capital since the outbreak of civil war in April 2023 and the first Kuwaiti commercial flight to the country in 33 years. The aircraft carried more than 300 Sudanese nationals returning home under a voluntary repatriation scheme coordinated by Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sudanese Ambassador to Kuwait Awadelkarim Elrayah Balla described the moment as a 'historic milestone', declaring that 'the Blue Bird has returned to embrace the Blue Nile'. His words echoed the airline's emblem and the river that bisects Khartoum, underscoring the symbolic weight of the landing.

War's three-year stranglehold on air travel

Khartoum International Airport had been effectively closed to international commercial traffic since April 15, 2023, when fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. The conflict, which has devastated the country, severed nearly all regular air links, leaving thousands of Sudanese stranded abroad and cutting off vital supply routes. Kuwait's flight breaks a prolonged isolation. Before Tuesday, no foreign carrier had operated a scheduled passenger service into Khartoum since the war began, and no Kuwaiti plane had landed there since 1990 — a span that predates the current crisis by decades.

Two ambassadors, one message of gratitude

Both Sudanese and Kuwaiti envoys used the occasion to highlight the depth of bilateral ties. Balla thanked Kuwait for its sustained support, praising Kuwait Airways for helping transport stranded citizens amid regional disruptions. He noted that the Sudanese community in Kuwait, estimated at 40,000 people, spans medical, educational and skilled professions and serves as a pillar of the relationship. Kuwaiti Ambassador to Sudan Dr. Fahad Al-Dhafiri expressed pride that his country's airline was the first foreign carrier to resume operations at Khartoum. He recalled that Kuwait had been among the first nations to establish air and sea bridges delivering thousands of tons of humanitarian aid to Sudan, and reaffirmed Kuwait's commitment to Sudan's security, stability and unity.

Numbers behind the repatriation flight

The flight carried approximately 292 passengers, while the Sudanese News Agency put the figure at more than 300. The discrepancy likely reflects different counting methods or last-minute boarding changes. All were Sudanese citizens returning under voluntary return programs supervised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which both envoys credited for facilitating the process. The journey from Kuwait to Khartoum takes roughly two hours and 25 minutes — a short hop that had been impossible for three years. Balla expressed hope that the route would soon expand, with Kuwait Airways potentially exporting Sudanese agricultural products to Kuwait to support food security.

Aid bridges and the path to normalisation

Kuwait's engagement with Sudan extends well beyond this single flight. Since the war began, Kuwait has operated both air and sea bridges to deliver humanitarian supplies, carrying thousands of tons of food, medicine and other essentials to alleviate the crisis. Ambassador Al-Dhafiri framed Tuesday's landing as a continuation of that consistent support. He thanked Kuwait Airways and the civil aviation authorities of both countries for making the flight possible, and expressed hope that the airline — symbolized by its blue bird — would soon resume regular scheduled services to Khartoum. The resumption of commercial flights would mark a significant step toward normalising life in a country shattered by conflict.

What comes next for Khartoum's skies

The return of international flights raises questions about the security situation around Khartoum. The airport, which had been a focal point of fighting in the early days of the war, remains vulnerable. Neither ambassador addressed whether additional carriers are expected to follow Kuwait Airways, or what conditions would need to be met for regular service to resume. Balla indicated that the next phase could see stronger cooperation in air transport and trade. But for now, the arrival of a single aircraft — the first in three years — is itself a fragile signal of hope. The Blue Bird has landed, but the skies above Khartoum are far from clear.

The bottom line

• Kuwait Airways became the first international carrier to land at Khartoum since the war began in April 2023, and the first Kuwaiti flight to Sudan since 1990.
• The flight repatriated around 300 Sudanese citizens under a voluntary return program overseen by Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Both Sudanese and Kuwaiti ambassadors hailed the flight as a historic milestone and a symbol of enduring bilateral ties.
• Kuwait previously delivered thousands of tons of humanitarian aid to Sudan via air and sea bridges.
• The Sudanese diaspora in Kuwait numbers approximately 40,000 and is seen as a key link between the two countries.
• The resumption of regular commercial flights to Khartoum remains uncertain, pending security conditions and further diplomatic coordination.