Satellite images showed modern military construction and fortifications that began last April inside Nyala Airport in South Darfur state, western Sudan.
This coincides with attacks launched by the Sudanese army on strategic sites belonging to the Rapid Support Forces in Nyala, western Sudan, including the airport, which has been transformed from a civilian facility into a military barracks since the Rapid Support Forces took control of it in October 2023.
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A visual comparison of satellite images taken during the months of April and May 2026 reveals new constructions on the southern side of the airport, taking on an engineering pattern resembling the locations of air defense systems or fortified military points.
The analysis also monitored the appearance of barriers and dirt barriers within vital parts of the airport, in addition to the redistribution of temporary facilities and the expansion of the scope of fortification works surrounding the main runway.
In a remarkable field development, comparing images between May 9 and May 11 revealed the appearance of a recent “black spot” inside the airport’s vicinity, likely resulting from a fire or limited targeting.
According to the geographical analysis conducted by the unit, the effects of the targeting extended over an area estimated at approximately 10.6 thousand square metres.
The appearance of these geographical indications coincides with testimonies from local sources in the city of Nyala, on Monday, who spoke of a Sudanese army drone targeting, last Sunday, a logistical support center and fuel stores for the Rapid Support Forces in the vicinity of Nyala Airport, causing explosions in the area.
The sources stated that the attack caused a state of panic in the areas near the airport, with the deployment of vehicles belonging to the Rapid Support Forces around the area, despite the absence of any official announcement from the Sudanese army regarding the implementation of specific strikes, or a comment from the Rapid Support Forces on the nature of the observed damage.
Nyala Airport is the largest and most important airport in the Darfur region from a strategic standpoint. Since the Rapid Support Forces took control of it, it has turned into a major logistical center for managing operations and transporting military supplies and equipment.
These new fortifications come at a time when international reports are increasing about unusual air activity inside the airport, and its use as a military launch and camp base in light of the continuing armed conflict in Sudan.
Sudan has been witnessing an ongoing war since April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, which – according to the United Nations – has caused what is described as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.
