Sudan’s air force claimed it had destroyed a United Arab Emirates (UAE) aircraft believed to be carrying Colombian mercenaries as it landed at a Rapid Support Forces (RSF)-controlled airport in Darfur, killing 40 people on board, state TV reported.
Nyala Airport in Darfur has recently been the target of repeated airstrikes by the Sudanese army amid its ongoing war with the RSF, which began in April 2023.
A military source told AFP that the Emirati plane “was bombed and completely destroyed” at the airport. Colombian President Gustavo Petro said his government was working to identify the victims. “We will see if we can bring their bodies back,” he said.
Meanwhile, a UAE official disputed the report, calling it “entirely false” and part of Sudan’s “ongoing campaign of disinformation and deflection.”
Sudan’s claim follows accusations that the UAE sent Colombian mercenaries to support the RSF against the military in the country’s civil war.
Earlier this week, the foreign ministry said it had “irrefutable evidence” that mercenaries from Colombia and some neighboring African countries were sponsored and financed by Emirati authorities, though it did not present the evidence.
“This unprecedented phenomenon poses a serious threat to peace and security in the region and across the continent,” the ministry said.
In a statement to the Associated Press, the UAE’s foreign ministry denied involvement in the war or support for any armed groups.
So far, the war in Sudan has killed over 40,000 people and displaced more than 14 million. Both the army and the RSF have been accused of war crimes, including attacks on civilians and acts of ethnic violence.
