Cargo plane downed over Sudan by mistake, no survivors reported

RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo accused Egypt of engaging its planes in the conflict - an allegation rejected by Cairo.

22 Oct 2024 11:35am
Photo for illustration purpose only. - (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)
Photo for illustration purpose only. - (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

NAIROBI - The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which take part in the conflict in Sudan, could have downed a cargo plane, which supposedly carried Russian citizens, having mistaken it for a military plane, Russian News Agency (TASS) reported quoting the Sudan War Monitor website.

According to the report, one RSF commander said on a video, published by the militia, that it downed an "Egyptian Antonov plane" using "guided missiles."

The website points out that, previously, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo accused Egypt of engaging its planes in the conflict - an allegation rejected by Cairo.

The Sudan War Monitor claims that an Il-76 plane was downed instead, with one crew member allegedly having an ID of Viktor Granov - chief engineer or Airline Transport Incorporation FZC, based in the UAE and affiliated with Kyrgyzstan.

Another crew member had a Russian passport. No survivors have been reported, and the bulk of the plane has burned, the report says.

Previously, the Russian embassy in Sudan said that it is investigating the circumstances of the crash of a plane that could have potentially carried Russian citizens.

According to the embassy, the "situation is complicated by the fact that the crash site is located in the region of Darfur, which is currently engulfed in fighting". - BERNAMA-TASS

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