46 killed in Sudan plane crash in residential area

PORT SUDAN: At least 46 people were killed when a Sudanese military transport plane crashed into a residential neighbourhood on the outskirts of Khartoum, the regional government said on Wednesday.

The Antonov aircraft went down on Tuesday night near Wadi Seidna air base, one of the army´s largest military hubs in Omdurman, northwest of the capital.

The army, which has been at war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023, said the plane crashed during takeoff, killing and injuring both military personnel and civilians.

“After a final tally, the number of martyrs reached 46, with 10 injured,” the Khartoum regional government´s media office said in a statement.

The army-aligned health ministry had previously reported at least 19 dead.

Witnesses described hearing a loud explosion and seeing several homes damaged in the area. The crash also caused power outages in nearby neighbourhoods.

The ministry said emergency teams rushed injured civilians, including children, to a nearby hospital.

A military source cited a technical malfunction as the cause of the crash, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment to the media. The crash came a day after the RSF claimed responsibility for shooting down a Russian-made Ilyushin aircraft over Nyala, the capital of South Darfur

The paramilitary group said the plane was destroyed with its crew onboard.

The recent escalation follows significant advances by the army in central Sudan and the capital Khartoum in its multi-front offensive against the RSF.

Late on Saturday, RSF signed a charter with allied political and armed groups in Nairobi, Kenya, paving the way for the formation of a parallel government in rebel-held areas.