Russia’s embassy in Sudan is investigating reports that a cargo plane with Russian crew members was shot down in Darfur, a key battleground in Sudan’s ongoing civil war between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The aircraft, identified as a Russian-made Ilyushin Il-76, was reportedly on a mission to deliver equipment and medicine to the army-held city of El-Fasher, according to military sources.
The RSF, which has been engaged in fierce fighting with the Sudanese army since April 2023, claimed responsibility for downing the plane. The group had earlier announced that it downed a different Russian-made plane flown by the Egyptian military, accusing it of bombing civilians. However, that aircraft was identified as an Antonov.
The Egyptian government has denied any involvement in supporting Sudan’s military during the conflict, which has ravaged the country for over 18 months. Since the power struggle between the army and the RSF began, the conflict has spiraled into a humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 150,000 people killed and more than 10 million displaced, according to the United Nations.
Details surrounding the plane crash remain unclear. The Russian embassy in Khartoum has said it is working with the Sudanese military government to confirm the circumstances and gather more information on the crew. According to the Sudan Tribune, all five members of the crew, including three Sudanese nationals and two Russians, were killed when the plane crashed in the Malha area, near the Chadian border, en route to the besieged city of El-Fasher.
El-Fasher, the last city under army control in Darfur, has been under constant attack by the RSF since the conflict began. The RSF claims to have retrieved the plane’s black box and seized documents related to its mission. Footage circulated by the RSF allegedly shows soldiers holding identification documents found at the crash site, including a Russian passport, an airport job card from Kyrgyzstan, and two South African driving licenses, all belonging to one individual. However, these reports remain under scrutiny.
Speculation surrounding the cause of the crash includes both technical failure and the possibility that the plane was shot down. Some reports suggest that the plane may have been mistakenly targeted, as video footage indicates it may have been linked to an airline previously affiliated with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The UAE has however denied accusations of providing arms to the RSF, though the UN has indicated credible evidence exists supporting the claims.
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