In brief
A military plane has crashed in a residential area of Sudan's capital, claiming the lives of at least 46 people, including passengers and locals.
The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday evening when an Antonov cargo aircraft, operated by the Sudanese military, crashed shortly after takeoff from the Wadi Seidna air base near Khartoum. This event adds to the devastation inflicted on the city during nearly three years of civil conflict, as reported by regional officials. The Sudanese military has reported that the crash resulted in the deaths of both passengers on the aircraft and residents on the ground, making it one of the country’s deadliest plane crashes in modern history, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization.At least 10 others, including two young children, suffered injuries in the Al-Thawra neighborhood, which lies close to the site of the incident. The cause of the crash remains uncertain, and the military has not disclosed details about the passengers. The air base has become pivotal in the Sudanese military's efforts to regain territories in Khartoum, amid escalating battles with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (R.S.F.), a conflict that has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 11 million residents.With fighting intensifying in recent weeks, the humanitarian situation has worsened dramatically, with the United Nations warning that around 24.6 million people, nearly half of Sudan’s population, face increased risk of famine. This event is a stark reminder of the ongoing violence that plagues the region. The Sudanese military has been employing drones from Wadi Seidna air base in its operations against R.S.F. fighters, who have taken control of significant areas in the capital.In a related note, the R.S.F. recently claimed to have downed another military aircraft over Nyala, a city in South Darfur; however, the military did not respond to this assertion. Last October, a separate military cargo plane crash in North Darfur resulted in the deaths of five individuals. Historically, Sudan has also witnessed numerous deadly aviation incidents involving military and commercial aircraft, underscoring serious safety concerns in the region amidst the ongoing turmoil.
