MAJOR AIRLINES CANCEL FLIGHTS TO AND FROM KHARTOUM AS SECURITY SITUATION DETERIORATES
(Posted 07th June 2019)
Following the suspension of the Sudan’s membership by the African Union and reports of rising deaths – dozens of bodies appear to have been pulled out of the River Nile in and near Khartoum – have airlines pulled their emergency brakes and began to suspend flights to and from the Sudanese capital.
Reports on social media suggest that airport and air navigation staff are forced to work at gunpoint and one such Tweet claims that an air navigation staff refusing to work under the present conditions was shot dead.
Both Emirates and FlyDubai have reportedly cancelled their flights, as has Gulf Air, Turkish Airlines, Egypt Air and Kenya Airways, among others. Flight cancellations, according to information received, are presently in place until the 08th of June but any passengers destined to the Sudan should stay in close contact with their respective airlines to receive timely updates, as and when flights will actually resume.
Meanwhile have street protests continued amid reports of several protesters being shot dead while opposition politician and Deputy Leader of the SPLM-N was arrested in Khartoum, further inflaming an already volatile situation. A general strike has been called but additional information has been very limited.
One source in Khartoum suggested that the military junta may go as far as cutting internet access to prevent social media platforms from being used by protesters and the opposition to rally more support and create instant protest hotspots.
