Airport repairs raise questions over Libya’s links to Sudan’s RSF
Kufra International Airport has begun long-planned runway maintenance, a move that comes amid lingering questions over the real reasons behind its temporary closure, as reported by the Libya Herald on January 20th.
Work began after an earlier announcement that the airport would suspend operations for a month, a decision that drew scrutiny given the facility’s strategic location and past allegations of its use.
Located deep in Libya’s south-eastern desert, Kufra sits near the borders with Egypt, Sudan and Chad, more than 1,000 kilometres from Benghazi and nearly 1,720 kilometres from Tripoli.
The airport is under the control of the eastern-based authorities aligned with Khalifa Haftar. Its isolation and proximity to regional conflict zones, such as the war in Sudan, have long made it a subject of attention.
According to several local sources, the airport has served as a key logistical transit hub to Sudan in recent months. Given that Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) are allied with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who support the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, there is no surprise that allegations of arms smuggling have arisen. The decision to maintain is even more questionable given that the airport had already undergone extensive renovations last May.
The initial closure announcement was met with doubts from observers who questioned whether technical needs alone were driving the decision. Kufra airport has previously been linked to accusations that it served as a transhipment point for arms destined for the Sudanese civil war, allegedly involving forces aligned with the eastern Libyan authorities.
The closure of Kufra International Airport occurs against a backdrop of evidence suggesting the Kufra region has been used by the LNA to smuggle arms across it.
A separate airstrip in Kufra, also under LNA control, has been documented as a crucial supply hub for Sudan’s RSF. Satellite imagery and flight data have connected the logistics corridor through this airstrip to broader regional supply networks, including alleged support tied to the UAE, even as the LNA denies direct involvement or ties with the UAE or the RSF.
The existence of this airbridge has drawn international attention to the role of LNA-controlled aviation facilities in regional conflict dynamics, underscoring the ongoing scrutiny of the temporary closure and maintenance work at Kufra International Airport.
The launch of visible maintenance work has not fully resolved the doubts. It remains unclear whether the runway repairs will dispel the accusations surrounding the airport’s past use or instead add another layer to the debate over its role in the war in Sudan alongside wider regional dynamics. For now, officials insist the closure is purely technical, while critics continue to watch developments closely as the month-long shutdown unfolds.
Libya Herald, Agenzia Nova, Maghrebi.org
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