Sudan Conflict Escalates: RSF Claims to Down Foreign Cargo Jet

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have announced the downing of a foreign cargo jet in Darfur, intensifying an already volatile conflict with the Sudanese military. The RSF's claims, made on Monday, have caught international attention, particularly as the incident suggests foreign involvement in the ongoing war in Sudan.

Footage from the crash site shows RSF fighters displaying identity documents supposedly recovered from the wreckage. These documents link the aircraft to an airline previously associated with the United Arab Emirates. The RSF alleges, without offering concrete evidence, that the aircraft was assisting the Sudanese army by deploying barrel bombs on civilians.

In response to the incident, the Russian Embassy in Khartoum has confirmed that diplomats are investigating reports that Russians may have been on board. Amidst this diplomatic scrutiny, the conflict in Sudan continues to have devastating effects, having already claimed over 24,000 lives since the fighting began in April 2023.