Sudan crisis: Turkish evacuation plane fired upon

A Turkish evacuation plane that was about to land at an airbase outside Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, was fired upon, Turkey’s defense ministry confirms.

No one was injured and it landed safely at Wadi Seidna, where it was being checked.

Sudan’s army blamed paramilitary fighters for firing at the aircraft and damaging its fuel system.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) denied the allegation, saying it was committed to the extended humanitarian truce.

The rival military factions agreed to an extension of their ceasefire at midnight local time (22:00 GMT on Thursday) for a further three days.

It has had only a limited effect, with army jets continuing to pound RSF positions in Khartoum during the night.

The previous truce allowed thousands of people to attempt to flee to safety, while dozens of countries organized evacuations.

Turkey’s defense minister said efforts would continue to rescue Turkish citizens from Wadi Seidna and the city of Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast.

Since the clashes began 14 days ago, hundreds of people have been killed and tens of thousands forced from their homes.

The fighting is devastating the capital and its surroundings – which until recently had a population of around 10 million – leaving people without supplies of food, water, and fuel.