19 people killed as military plane crashes in residential area

A Sudanese military transport plane crashed into a residential neighborhood on the outskirts of Khartoum, killing at least 19 people, the army-aligned health ministry confirmed on Wednesday.

The accident, which occurred late Tuesday, has intensified fears in a country already reeling from a nearly two-year-long war.

The Antonov aircraft went down near Wadi Seidna Air Base, a key military hub in Omdurman, northwest of the Sudanese capital.

The Sudanese army, which has been locked in conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023, stated that the crash happened during takeoff, resulting in both military and civilian casualties.

Residents described hearing a powerful explosion before seeing flames and smoke rising from the crash site.

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Several homes in the vicinity were damaged, and the impact caused widespread power outages in nearby neighborhoods.

“Search efforts are still ongoing to find the remaining martyrs under the rubble,” the health ministry said in a statement, signaling that the death toll could rise.

Initial reports from pro-democracy activists had suggested at least 10 fatalities, but as emergency teams scoured the debris, the number of confirmed dead increased.

Several injured civilians, including children, were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.

A military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, cited a technical malfunction as the likely cause of the crash.

However, no official investigation results have been released.

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The incident occurred just a day after the RSF claimed responsibility for shooting down a Russian-made Ilyushin aircraft over Nyala, the capital of South Darfur.

The RSF alleged that the plane was destroyed along with its crew onboard, further escalating tensions between the warring factions.

The ongoing battle between Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and his former deputy-turned-rival, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has plunged Sudan into one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history.

Tens of thousands have been killed, while millions have been displaced as the fighting devastates major cities and critical infrastructure.

Despite recent military advances by the army in central Sudan and parts of the capital, there are no signs of an imminent resolution to the conflict.

With escalating violence and continued clashes, the war continues to deepen Sudan’s suffering, leaving civilians caught in the crossfire.