Russia’s embassy in Sudan is investigating reports that a Russian-made Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane, crewed by Russians, was shot down in Darfur. The plane was reportedly transporting equipment and medicine to the army-controlled city of el-Fasher, according to military sources cited by Sudanese media.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claimed responsibility, alleging the plane was flown by the Egyptian military and had been bombing civilians. Egypt denies providing military support to Sudan’s army throughout the 18-month conflict.
The Sudan Tribune reported that all five crew members, including two Russians and three Sudanese nationals, died when the plane crashed near Malha, close to the Chad border. The RSF claims to have recovered the aircraft’s black box and seized related documents.
Video footage circulated online shows RSF fighters displaying personal items, including a Russian passport and South African driving licences, allegedly linked to the wreckage. Conflicting accounts suggest the plane may have been mistakenly targeted or downed due to a technical fault.
Sudan’s civil war, which erupted in April 2023, has plunged the country into a severe humanitarian crisis, displacing over 10 million people and killing an estimated 150,000, according to UN and U.S. sources. Despite diplomatic efforts, fighting has intensified around Khartoum, with the RSF controlling much of the capital as the army steps up airstrikes.
