Weapons secretly loaded? Russian plane shot down by rebels by mistake

Darfur (Sudan) - Friendly Fire? Sudanese RSF rebels have accidentally shot down a Russian cargo plane. The Ilyushin Il-76 is said to have been transporting weapons to the civil war region of Darfur on behalf of the United Arab Emirates.

The plane crashed in the savannah.
The plane crashed in the savannah.  © Montage: X/MohanadElbalal

When the rebel missile hit it, the Ilyushin turned into a ball of fire and fell to the ground like a stone. None of the crew survived Monday's incident.

The rebel group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) readily took responsibility for shooting down an Antonov freighter belonging to the Sudanese army (SAF), with which it has been engaged in a brutal civil war for power and influence in the African country for more than a year.

Videos circulated by the rebels on social media show RSF fighters happily posing in front of the burning wreckage, holding the ID cards of the (Russian) crew members up to the camera and once again threatening their arch-enemies from the SAF army.

Then the rude awakening: As "The Sun" is currently reporting, the Russian jet is said to have been traveling on behalf of a company from the United Arab Emirates. The cargo: plenty of weapons that are said to have been destined for the RSF rebels.

Cargo plane shot down with guided missile

RSF fighters mistakenly shoot down allied plane?

Rebels pose in front of the wreckage.
Rebels pose in front of the wreckage.  © Montage: X/MohanadElbalal
RSF fighters hold Russian ID cards up to the camera.
RSF fighters hold Russian ID cards up to the camera.  © Montage: X/MohanadElbalal
An Ilyushin Il-76 like this one was shot down in Darfur.
An Ilyushin Il-76 like this one was shot down in Darfur.  © 123rf/sikaraha

Civil war in Sudan: what are the Kremlin's intentions?

As "The Sun" further reports, the IDs of two Russians killed in the crash suggest that the men were working for a company from the Emirates.

According to the report, the plane involved in the accident was on its way to Chad. The country serves as a hub for arms supplies to the civil war-torn country of Sudan.

Meanwhile, the Russian side says that the Ilyushin was only carrying "humanitarian goods". They want to investigate the incident.

Officially, neither Russia nor the United Arab Emirates support the rebels led by warlord Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (49), known as Hemedti. Unofficially, however, Russia is said to be supporting both the rebels and the SAF government troops.

The brutal civil war in Sudan broke out more than a year ago. It was caused by tensions between warlord Hemedti and the country's strongman, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (63). Since then, millions have fled and tens of thousands have died.