Sudanese Military Plane Crash Claims 46 Lives Near Khartoum.
In a tragic incident on Tuesday night, a Sudanese military transport plane crashed into a residential area on the outskirts of Khartoum, killing 46 people and injuring 10 others, the regional government confirmed on Wednesday. The Antonov aircraft came down near Wadi Seidna air base in Omdurman, a key military hub northwest of the capital, shortly after takeoff.
The crash occurred amidst the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has ravaged the country since April 2023. According to the Khartoum regional government’s media office, the final death toll reached 46 “martyrs,” with both military personnel and civilians among the casualties. The army-aligned health ministry had initially reported at least 19 fatalities, but the figure rose as emergency teams assessed the wreckage.
Eyewitnesses recounted hearing a deafening explosion as the plane hit the ground, with several homes in the neighbourhood sustaining damage. The impact also knocked out power in surrounding areas, plunging them into darkness. Emergency services swiftly transported injured civilians, including children, to a nearby hospital for urgent treatment.
A military source, speaking anonymously to AFP, attributed the disaster to a technical malfunction, though an official investigation has yet to confirm the cause.
Escalating Conflict
The crash follows a string of violent incidents tied to the war, including a claim by the RSF on Monday that it shot down a Russian-made Ilyushin aircraft over Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, killing its crew. The latest tragedy comes as the Sudanese army intensifies its offensive against the RSF, making notable gains in central Sudan and Khartoum.
The conflict, pitting army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamadan Daglo, has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced over 12 million people. Once allies, the two leaders fell out over plans for Sudan’s governance, sparking a war that the United Nations has called one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history.
On Saturday, the RSF signed a charter with allied political and armed groups in Nairobi, Kenya, laying the groundwork for a rival administration in areas under its control. Meanwhile, the fighting has left Khartoum and other cities in ruins, with widespread hunger and crumbling infrastructure exacerbating the suffering of millions.
As Sudan grapples with this latest disaster, the crash serves as a grim reminder of the toll the conflict continues to exact on both military and civilian lives.
