The crash occurred near Wadi Seidna Air Base in Omdurman, one of the army’s key military hubs, shortly after takeoff.

According to a military statement, the Antonov aircraft suffered a technical malfunction that led to the disaster.

A crew of four, along with multiple officers and soldiers, lost their lives in the crash. At least five civilians were also among the casualties, bringing the total number of fatalities to at least 19, according to media reports.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion as the aircraft plummeted into a densely populated area, igniting a fire and damaging several residential buildings.

Residents in northern Omdurman also experienced power outages following the crash. The Karari Resistance Committee, a local volunteer network, confirmed that ten bodies and numerous injured individuals were taken to Al-Nao Hospital. Several survivors suffered severe burns.

The Sudanese army stated that emergency response teams successfully contained the fire at the crash site, while the injured were transported to medical facilities for treatment.

The crash comes amid escalating violence in Sudan’s ongoing conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Just a day before the accident, the RSF claimed responsibility for downing a Russian-made Ilyushin aircraft in Nyala, South Darfur, allegedly destroying it with its crew on board.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, former allies turned rivals.

The war has led to one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history, with over 29,600 deaths and more than 15 million people displaced, according to the International Organization for Migration.

The crash occurred near Wadi Seidna Air Base in Omdurman, one of the army’s key military hubs, shortly after takeoff.