Reuters, in an extensive investigative report, revealed that a remote airstrip in southeastern Libya played a decisive role in altering the course of Sudan’s civil war, becoming a major logistical hub for the Rapid Support Forces.
According to more than a dozen military, intelligence, and diplomatic sources, military supplies transported via Kufra Airport, approximately 300 km from the Sudanese border, helped the RSF regain momentum after the Sudanese army recaptured Khartoum in March.
Officials said this logistical line was crucial for the RSF’s takeover of Al-Fashir in October, consolidating control over Darfur and enabling a series of subsequent military gains in southern Sudan.
Satellite image analysis and flight tracking data by Reuters showed that Kufra Airport, nearly abandoned before 2025, underwent major upgrades and received dozens of cargo flights as RSF presence in southern Libya increased.
A UN official familiar with RSF movements said the use of Kufra Airport “completely changed the game” in the conflict.
Justin Lynch, executive director of Conflict Insights Group, reported at least 105 cargo flights at Kufra Airport between April 1 and November 1, confirmed by cross-referencing satellite images and flight tracking data. He noted that the pattern of flights, departure and landing sites, and aircraft types aligned with “Emirati support for the RSF,” turning Kufra and southern Libya into a critical logistical hub.
Reuters could not obtain a comment from the Libyan National Army leadership. A local military official in Kufra, speaking anonymously, said cargo flights transported civilians and army or police personnel between eastern Libyan airports, denying the presence of RSF fighters.
To assess the scale and role of Kufra operations, Reuters interviewed 18 diplomatic, military, and intelligence officials from Western and African countries, and 14 regional and military experts.
U.S. officials disclosed in October that the UAE intensified arms shipments to the RSF via Libya and Somalia. This report is the first detailed account of Kufra Airport’s role in these operations.
