Exclusive-Plane downed in Darfur with suspected Russian crew was supplying army, rivals say

A satellite image shows the area of a plane wreckage where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have shot down a Russian warplane, north of al-Fashir, Sudan, October 22, 2024. 2024 Planet Labs Inc/Handout via REUTERS

DUBAI/LONDON (Reuters) - A plane downed in Sudan's North Darfur state had Russian crew members and was being used by the army to resupply the besieged city of al-Fashir, according to the opposing faction and documents it said were found in the wreckage.

The incident offers a glimpse into the murky supply networks behind the more than 18-month war between Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that has uprooted more than 11 million people, caused widespread hunger and drawn in foreign powers.