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Sudan's army says paramilitary Rapid Support Forces hit Turkish evacuation plane

This image floating on social media purportedly shows a Turkish aircraft being inspected after coming under fire at the Wadi Seidna airport in Sudan. (Via the Middle East Eye)

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have reportedly opened fire on a Turkish evacuation plane as it was landing at an airport outside Khartoum amid fighting between rivaling groups to seize power despite a truce signed between Sudan’s de facto ruler Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the RSF head Hamdan Dagalo.

Sudan's regular army announced on Friday that the Turkish plane had come under RSF fire as it was landing at the Wadi Seyidna airport, adding that the Turkish aircraft’s fuel system was being repaired after sustaining damage in the attack.

RSF has denied the allegations, claiming Sudan’s army was "spreading lies" to damage the paramilitary forces' image.

"Our forces have remained strictly committed to the humanitarian truce that we agreed upon since midnight, and it is not true that we targeted any aircraft in the sky of Wadi Seyidna in Omdurman," the RSF said in a statement.

However, the Turkish government confirmed the attack against its C-130 evacuation plane. Ankara's defense ministry said there had been no injuries reported in the attack.

Representatives of the fighting sides in Sudan agreed late on Thursday to prolong the ceasefire by 72 hours to allow for humanitarian access, but fighting flared in parts of the capital Khartoum on Friday, according to eyewitnesses and live video broadcasts.

Since the conflict erupted a fortnight ago between the army's commander-in-chief and his former deputy, the recurrent fighting has killed hundreds of people and has forced tens of thousands to flee.


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