Officials in Sudan have confirmed that the death toll from a military aircraft crash in Omdurman has risen to at least 46 people, making it one of the deadliest plane crashes in the country in the past two decades. The Antonov aircraft crashed on Tuesday over a populated district in Omdurman, injuring at least 10 people.
The crash occurred as the plane was taking off from the Wadi Sayidna air base north of Omdurman. The incident also resulted in damage to several houses in the Karrari district of Omdurman.
Reports indicate that the aircraft was en route to Port Sudan when it crashed over the Al-Thawra neighborhood in the Karrari district. Witnesses reported hearing loud explosions and seeing thick clouds of smoke and dust following the crash.
While initial reports suggested that the aircraft was carrying high-ranking military officers, the military has not confirmed this information. Aircraft crashes are unfortunately common in Sudan due to the country's poor aviation safety record.
In a similar incident in 2020, 16 people lost their lives when a military plane crashed in Darfur. Additionally, in 2003, a civilian Sudan Airways plane crash resulted in the tragic deaths of 116 individuals.
Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war since 2023, with ongoing tensions between the military and paramilitary groups. The conflict has led to widespread devastation, including atrocities such as mass rape and ethnically motivated killings, which have been condemned as war crimes and crimes against humanity by international bodies.
The recent intensification of the conflict has seen the military making advances against paramilitary forces in various parts of the country. The Rapid Support Forces, a prominent paramilitary group controlling much of Darfur, claimed responsibility for downing a military aircraft in Nyala, South Darfur province, just a day before the tragic crash in Omdurman.
