A RUSSIAN cargo plane was shot down in a giant fireball after a friendly fire disaster that has left no survivors, reports say.
The transport aircraft flying over Sudan was hit by a guided missile fired by the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Footage showed the plane reportedly being destroyed by a missile[/caption]
Debris burned on the ground with soldiers celebrating it[/caption]
The Russian-crewed plane was mistakenly shot down by Sudan’s Rapid Support Force[/caption]
RSF soldiers inspected the wreckage following the strike[/caption]
RSF forces shot down a Ilyushin IL-76 the report claims (file photo)[/caption]
The burning Russian-made Ilyushin Il-76T hit the ground and exploded in a giant fireball in the west of the country where fighting has been raging in the civil war.
Debris burned across a wide area on the ground as the Sudanese soldiers celebrate around it, footage posted to social media shows.
Despite being Russian-made and crewed, the plane appears to have been working for the UAE – who have been backing the RSF rebels with weapons.
Documents belonging to two suspected Russian crew members with IDs linking back to a UAE company were found at the crash site.
Russian aviation channel Aviatorshchina on Telegram said: “The transport plane was mistakenly shot down early this morning by the Rapid Reaction Force, RSF.
“According to one of the commanders of the force, Ali Rizkallah, his subordinates used guided missiles to shoot down an ‘Egyptian Antonov’, which was allegedly used by the Egyptian military as a bomber.
“However, a little later they realised that they had shot down an Il-76, which was delivering aid from the UAE to Amjaras [in Chad], by ‘friendly fire’.”
Neighbouring Chad has become a staging point for weapons to go to before being smuggled into the RSF controlled areas of the country, experts say.
Documents at the scene are in the names of two Russian citizens Viktor Granov and Anton Selivanets, both aircraft engineers.
The Russian embassy in Sudan said it was in contact with local authorities and was investigating the circumstances of the incident.
The insurgent RSF have been fighting the government since the war broke out last year.
Russia has reportedly backed both sides in the conflict as it has sought to expand its influence in Africa.
There were no survivors following the missile hit[/caption]
Reports made on Telegram claimed all occupants of the plane died[/caption]
Aircraft engineer Viktor Granov is thought to be one of those who perished on board[/caption]
