A Sudanese military Antonov An-26 aircraft (reg. 5X-RHB) crashed during the initial climb from Wadi Seidna military airport in Omdurman, near Khartoum, killing at least 46 people, including 17 military personnel and 29 civilians. Among the dead was Major-General Bahr Ahmed, a senior commander.
The crash, attributed to technical failure, also injured 10 others and caused damage to nearby homes and power outages. The Sudanese military has been engaged in a brutal conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023, with recent army advances in central Sudan and Khartoum.
The incident follows the RSF’s downing of a Russian-made Ilyushin plane in Nyala, South Darfur, further escalating tensions. Meanwhile, the World Food Programme warns of a humanitarian crisis, as food aid to famine-stricken Zamzam camp in North Darfur has been suspended due to RSF attacks.
