On Thursday, January 2, 2020, a military aircraft carrying Sudanese Judges and Army officials tragically crashed shortly after taking off from an airport in Sudan’s West Darfur.
Although the cause of the crash is still unknown, reports indicate that it happened approximately 10 km (6 miles) from the airport. An official at el-Geneina airport confirmed that all 18 people on board lost their lives in the tragic accident.
Army spokesman Amer Mohammed al-Hassan, who verified the incident, informed AFP that the victims included seven crew members, three judges, and eight civilians, four of whom were children.
El-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, has experienced heightened security measures and official visits this week due to deadly clashes between ethnic groups in the region.