Russia’s embassy in Sudan is investigating reports of a cargo plane with a Russian crew being shot down in Darfur, a pivotal battleground in the ongoing civil war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The aircraft, a Russian-made Ilyushin Il-76, was reportedly on a mission to deliver equipment and medical supplies to the army-held city of el-Fasher.
On Monday, the RSF claimed responsibility for downing a plane that they accused of bombing civilians, initially identified as an Egyptian military aircraft but later confirmed as an Antonov. Egypt has denied allegations of providing military support to the Sudanese army during the 18-month conflict.
The power struggle between the army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023, has led to what the United Nations has described as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Estimates suggest that up to 150,000 people have died since the conflict began, and over 10 million have been displaced—approximately one-fifth of Sudan’s population.
Details surrounding the crash remain unclear. The Russian embassy in Khartoum is coordinating with Sudanese military officials to gather more information about the incident and the fate of those onboard. According to the Sudan Tribune, all crew members—including three Sudanese nationals and two Russians—are believed to have perished in the crash, which reportedly occurred in the Malha area, close to the Chad border, while en route to besieged el-Fasher.
El-Fasher is currently the only city in western Darfur still under army control, facing ongoing attacks from the RSF since April. The RSF claims to have recovered the aircraft’s black box and related documents, with viral footage showing RSF soldiers with identification documents purportedly belonging to a crew member near the wreckage.
Preliminary investigations suggest that a technical fault may have caused the crash; however, both the army and RSF maintain that the plane was shot down. Complicating matters, some documents seen in circulating video footage indicate that the aircraft may have ties to an airline linked to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has denied allegations of arming the RSF, despite credible evidence cited by the UN.
Fresh diplomatic efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between the rival factions have thus far made little progress, as fierce fighting continues, particularly around Khartoum, which remains largely under RSF control. The military has intensified airstrikes in the city as the conflict escalates.
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