A cargo plane landed at Nyala airport in Sudan’s South Darfur region early Saturday, two sources in the city told Sudan Tribune, sparking questions about the operator and purpose of the flight. The western region has been under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since conflict erupted in Sudan in April between the RSF and the army.
The plane, identified as a Russian-built Ilyushin IL-76, touched down at around 3:10 a.m. (0010 GMT) and stayed on the ground for approximately an hour and 15 minutes, one source reported. The operator of the plane and the nature of its cargo remain unknown.
The United Arab Emirates has denied allegations by the Sudanese army that it sent military support to the RSF via Nyala airport.
The Sudanese army conducts daily strikes on what it claims are RSF positions in Nyala, with locals reporting multiple civilian casualties from these airstrikes.
Details of the plane’s landing could not be independently verified, despite reports from residents cited by Sudanese media. Both the Sudanese military and the RSF were unavailable for immediate comment.