Wednesday's strike on the Nyala airport killed suspected mercenaries from Colombia and destroyed a shipment of arms and equipment that were sent by the United Arab Emirates to the Rapid Support Forces, according to two Sudanese military officials and an adviser to a Darfur rebel leader.
Sudan plunged into chaos when simmering tensions between the country's military and the RSF exploded into fighting in April 2023 in the capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere in the country.
The fighting has turned into a full-fledged civil war that killed tens of thousands of people, displaced over 14 million people and pushed parts of the country into famine.
State-run Sudan TV reported the aircraft had taken off from a military base in the Arab Gulf region and that Sudanese fighter jets struck it when it landed at the Nyala airport.
It described the strike as a "blatant message" and a "new equation of deterrence" against foreign interference in Sudan's affairs.
The Emirati Foreign Ministry didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. However, it has repeatedly denied involvement in the Sudan war by backing armed groups. There was also no comment from the RSF.
Responding to the reports, Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered an investigation into the mercenaries' killing.
The RSF seized Nyala, the capital city of South Darfur province, last year as part of the paramilitary group's push to control the entire region of Darfur.Â
The Sudanese government has accused the RSF of turning the city's civilian airport into a military hub to receive weapons shipments and smuggle gold.
The Sudanese military has repeatedly struck the airport, saying it targeted aircraft delivering military supplies and mercenaries to the RSF.
UN experts confirmed in a report that Colombian mercenaries were present in Darfur and that those mercenaries were hired by a private security firm to support the RSF.
According to the report, the Colombian Foreign Ministry acknowledged that Colombian mercenaries were in Darfur and announced the establishment of a special immediate response group to ensure the safe return of its nationals.
