Sudan extends airspace closure until Aug 15 amid conflict

Khartoum, July 31 (IANS) Amid the ongoing conflict, Sudan's civil aviation authority extended the closure of the country's airspace until August 15, except for humanitarian aid and evacuation flights, Khartoum International Airport said in a statement on Monday.

The country's airspace has remained closed since the conflict first erupted on April 15 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), reports Xinhua news agency.

Air navigation systems at Khartoum International Airport were affected by the conflict, according to authorities.

More than 3,000 people have died and over 6,000 others injured in the bloody conlict, which the two warring sides have blamed each other of escalating it.

Deep differences had emerged between the SAF and the RSF, particularly regarding the latter's integration into the army as stipulated in a framework agreement signed between military and civilian leaders on December 5, 2022.

Meanwhile, more than 3 million people have also been displaced either inside or outside the country, according to UN estimates.