KHARTOUM, Sudan – In a shocking breach of ceasefire, a Turkish evacuation plane was fired upon on Friday, April 28, 2023, as it made its descent at an airbase outside Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. The aircraft, however, landed safely at Wadi Seidna airbase despite the attack.
Turkey’s Defence Ministry confirmed the incident, reassuring that there were no casualties. “This was an unwarranted attack on an unarmed, humanitarian mission,” the ministry’s spokesperson said. “Thankfully, no lives were lost. The aircraft is currently being checked at Wadi Seidna.”
The Sudanese Army pointed fingers at the paramilitary faction Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for this act of aggression. They claimed that RSF operatives fired at the aircraft, damaging its fuel system.
The RSF vehemently denied these allegations, insisting on its commitment to the recently extended humanitarian truce. “These accusations are baseless,” an RSF spokesperson said. “We are committed to the extended humanitarian truce.”
This attack comes in the wake of an extension of the ceasefire between the rival military factions, agreed upon at midnight local time (22:00 GMT on Thursday). The truce, however, seems to have had a limited effect, with reports of Sudanese army jets continuing to pound RSF positions in Khartoum overnight.
The original truce permitted thousands of people to make their escape amidst the escalating conflict, while numerous countries, including Turkey, organised evacuation operations. Turkey’s Defence Minister reassured, “Our efforts to evacuate Turkish citizens from Wadi Seidna and the city of Port Sudan will continue unabated.”
Over the past two weeks, the clashes have left hundreds dead and tens of thousands displaced, wreaking havoc on the capital and its surroundings. With a population of around 10 million until recently, the region is now grappling with a severe shortage of essential supplies, including food, water, and fuel.
As the situation unfolds, the global community watches on, hoping for a peaceful resolution to this conflict.
