General al-Burhan’s army (SAF) announced on Monday that it had destroyed an Emirati cargo plane allegedly providing support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) at Nyala airport in South Darfur on Saturday.
According to the SAF’s statement, its air force conducted multiple strikes on RSF-controlled sites in Nyala, including the airport, which it accused the RSF of using to receive weapons and evacuate injured fighters.
“The air force succeeded… in striking an Emirati cargo plane as it was taking off from Nyala airport, leading to its crash,” the SAF stated.
Additionally, the army reported the destruction of drones west of Nyala and the killing of foreign nationals allegedly operating from a building near Nyala Technical College.
The RSF, in response, accused the SAF of indiscriminately targeting civilians in Nyala with barrel bombs, causing significant casualties. Sudanese group released a video featuring residents of the Sika Hadid neighborhood lamenting the repeated attacks on their homes.
In a related development, the SAF said it intercepted six RSF drones aimed at El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, and shelled southern neighborhoods, destroying and setting fire to civilian homes.
El Fasher has remained a hotspot of intense conflict since May, with the SAF and its allied jihadists clashing with the RSF as the group attempts to seize control of SAF’s last strongholds in Darfur.
UAE Responds to Allegations
In a statement issued late Monday, the United Arab Emirates dismissed SAF’s claims as “baseless and unfounded.” The UAE Foreign Ministry called for an “immediate and impartial investigation” into the incident and reiterated its neutral stance on Sudan’s internal conflict.
“The UAE remains committed to providing humanitarian aid to the people of Sudan and categorically denies involvement in any military support to parties in the conflict,” the statement added.
The escalating accusations come amid intensifying violence in Darfur, raising concerns about further regional destabilization and international involvement in Sudan’s conflict.
