Cairo (AP) – Sudan’s airstrikes have been attacked at national airports Darfur Region Controlled by the infamous paramilitary group, it destroyed allegations of military aircraft in the Emirates and killed dozens of mercenaries, Sudanese officials and insurgent advisers said Thursday.
The strike at Nyara Airport on Wednesday killed at least 40 suspected mercensaries from Colombia and destroyed weapons and equipment cargo sent by the United Arab Emirates. Fast Support Forces, or RSFaccording to two Sudanian military officials and an advisor to the leader of the Darfur rebels who formed an alliance with the RSF.
Officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to briefly describe the media. The advisor also requested anonymity for his safety.
Sudan surged into chaos when it exploded into combat in the capital, Khartoum and other areas in April 2023, when it boiled tensions between the military and the RSF. country.
The battle has changed A full-scale civil war It killed tens of thousands of people, expelled over 14 million people, and forced parts of the country to starve. War is marked by atrocities. This includes mass murders and rapes under investigation. War crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court.
“New equation of deterrence”
State-run Sudan television reported that the aircraft took off from a military base in the Arab Gulf region and struck it when Sudanese fighter plane landed at Nyara Airport. It described the strike as a “blatant message” and a “new equation of deterrence” for foreign interference in the Sudan problem.
In an email response to the Associated Press, the UAE’s Foreign Ministry denied the charge as an “unfounded allegation” of “no evidence.” He said the allegations are part of the Sudanese government’s “continuous campaign of disinformation and bias.”
There were no immediate comments from RSF.
In response to the report, Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote that he ordered X to investigate the murder of a mercenary overnight.
The RSF seized Nyara, the capital of South Darfur last year, as part of its promotion of paramilitary groups to control the entire Darfur. The Sudanese government accused the RSF of converting the city’s civilian airport into a military hub to receive cargo of weapons and smuggling gold.
Sudanese troops repeatedly attacked the airport, saying they targeted aircraft delivering military supplies and mercenaries to the RSF.
United Nations experts have been confirmed Report released in April Colombian mercensions exist in Darfur, and those mercens were hired by private security companies to support the RSF.
According to the report, the Colombian Foreign Office has confirmed that Colombian mercens are in Darfur and announced the establishment of a special immediate response group to ensure the safe return of its citizens.
The UAE excludes planes in Sudan
Meanwhile, the Sudanian aviation agency said the United Arab Emirates had banned planes in Sudan as they landed at the airport on Wednesday.
According to a report by the state-run SUNA news agency, the Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement that Sudanian passenger planes are also prohibited from taking off at Abu Dhabi Airport.
The relationship between Sudan and the United Arab Emirates’ military alliance is worn out Abu Dhabi’s suspicion of support for RSF. The Sudanese government cut ties with the UAE over the allegations earlier this year.
RSF surrounds Elfasher
In other war developments, satellite images analyzed by the U.S.-based Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Institute, or HRL, showed that the RSF imposed a complete blockade on El Fascher, Darfur’s last major city still under military control.
“There are no urban routes that the RSF does not control,” the HRL said in a report Wednesday, and that civilians trying to go outside will need to pass a 50-meter (50-yard) RSF control point, 50 meters wide.
RSF has been trying to take over El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, for more than a year to complete the administration of the five states of Darfur.
Paramilitary groups repeatedly attacked the cities. HRL said it has recorded RSF bombardment of two markets, three schools and two mosques in the city since June.
Earlier this year, the RSF conquered A vast sam zam displacement camp On the outskirts of the city, they killed hundreds of people and forced the camp population to flee.
