18 people killed in Sudan military plane crash

KHARTOUM: At least18 people, including four minor children, were killed hear on Thursday when a Sudanese military transport plane crashed after takeoff from West Darfur state.

According to a spokesman for the military, the plane crashed five minutes after take off from an airport in the state capital El Geneina. As a result, seven members of the crew, three judges and eight civilians, including four children, who were on board, were killed on the spot. He said an inquiry was underway to know the reason for the crash.

Sources reviled, most of Sudan´s military and civilian fleet consists of old Soviet-made aircraft, and the country has witnessed a number of crashes in recent years, with the military often blaming technical problems and bad weather.

Source further told the plane had delivered help to West Darfur which was rocked earlier this week by tedious tribal fighting. Earlier, according to Sudan´s Red Crescent, 48 people were killed and 241 injured in that aggression.

It further stated clashes engulfed on Sunday night in El Geneina, and constant until Monday between Arab and African groups, with several houses torched.