Sudanese Rebels Mistakenly Shoot Down IL-76 Aircraft Carrying Cargo for Them

A civilian Ilyushin Il-76 transport plane carrying cargo for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) rebels was mistakenly shot down by the RSF themselves in Sudan’s North Darfur region.

The plane was operated by New Way Cargo, a U.A.E.-based carrier. The RSF believed the aircraft was a bomber used by Sudanese government forces, leading to its destruction near Al Mahla, as per reports.

According to RSF reports, the incident occurred around 4:00 a.m. when a field commander, Ali Rizkallah, ordered his soldiers to fire on what was described as an "Antonov-type" transport aircraft. The RSF used a guided missile to bring down the plane, which they later discovered was a civilian Ilyushin Il-76.

At least two crew members were killed in the crash, though the typical crew size for the Il-76 is five. Documents recovered from the wreckage suggest that the crew may have been Russian nationals experienced in flying Soviet-era aircraft. The cargo onboard is believed to have been military equipment, which aligns with reports that the RSF rebels have been receiving material support from the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), despite U.A.E. claims that their assistance is humanitarian.

This is not the first instance of New Way Airlines being linked to arms transport. The carrier has previously been involved in shipping weapons to General Khalifa Haftar's forces in Libya, in violation of a UN arms embargo.

The RSF, which broke away from the Sudanese army in 2023, may not have been aware of the secret night flights arranged by their senior leadership. The confusion led to the accidental downing of the plane that was supposed to deliver military aid to the rebel group.