KHARTOUM, Aug 7 (NNN-XINHUA) — The Sudanese air force had destroyed an Emirati aircraft carrying Colombian mercenaries while it was landing at an airport controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Darfur region of western Sudan, official Sudan TV reported on Wednesday.
Citing military sources, the TV reported that the Sudanese air force launched a surprise strike on the runway of Nyala International Airport in South Darfur State earlier on Wednesday.
“The surprise attack targeted a group of Colombian mercenaries upon their arrival aboard a private plane believed to have taken off from one of the air bases in the Gulf,” the report said, noting that “the air operation resulted in the deaths of dozens of mercenaries.”
It added that the mercenaries were brought in to support the RSF as part of a “foreign plot” aimed at destabilizing Sudan and prolonging the war.
The sources indicated that the Sudanese army’s military intelligence had been tracking the plane’s movements and monitoring its coordination with RSF members controlling the airport, which allowed the strike to be executed immediately upon its landing before the RSF could deploy.
On Monday, Sudan accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of bringing in and funding Colombian mercenaries to fight against the army on behalf of the RSF.
The UAE, for its part, denies any involvement in funding the RSF.
Meanwhile, Sudan’s Civil Aviation Authority on Wednesday said the UAE has banned Sudanese aircraft from landing at its airports, and also prevented one Sudanese airline’s aircraft from taking off from Abu Dhabi Airport, marking the latest sign of tension between the two countries.
A source at one of Sudan’s airlines told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that “the UAE authorities justified their decision by stating that Sudanese airlines do not meet operational standards.”
Sudan’s Badr Airlines and Tarco Aviation operate almost daily flights to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Dubai airports.
Sudan remains gripped by a conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023. The fighting has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, both internally and across borders, deepening the country’s humanitarian crisis. — NNN-XINHUA