Death Toll in Sudan Military Plane Crash Rises to 46

A truck drives past a Sudanese army tank at the entrance of Wad Madani in Sudan's al-Jazira state on February 20, 2025, after the regular army forces reclaimed the area from its rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) last month. (AFP)
A truck drives past a Sudanese army tank at the entrance of Wad Madani in Sudan's al-Jazira state on February 20, 2025, after the regular army forces reclaimed the area from its rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) last month. (AFP)
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Death Toll in Sudan Military Plane Crash Rises to 46

A truck drives past a Sudanese army tank at the entrance of Wad Madani in Sudan's al-Jazira state on February 20, 2025, after the regular army forces reclaimed the area from its rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) last month. (AFP)
A truck drives past a Sudanese army tank at the entrance of Wad Madani in Sudan's al-Jazira state on February 20, 2025, after the regular army forces reclaimed the area from its rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) last month. (AFP)

The death toll from a Sudanese military plane crash in the city of Omdurman increased to at least 46 people, officials said Wednesday. 

The Khartoum Media Office said the crash also injured 10 others. The initial death toll of 19 was provided by the health ministry. 

The Antonov aircraft crashed Tuesday while taking off from the Wadi Sayidna air base north of Omdurman, the military said in a statement. Omdurman is the sister city of the capital, Khartoum. 

The crash also damaged a number of houses in the Karrari district of Omdurman, the media office said. 

The military earlier said that armed forces personnel and civilians were killed in the crash, but didn’t provide figures. It didn’t say what caused the crash. 

The health ministry said that some bodies were transferred to the Nau hospital in Omdurman. 

Sudan has been in a state of civil war since 2023 when tensions between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, exploded into open warfare. 

The fighting has wrecked urban areas and has been marked by atrocities, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings, that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, especially in the western region of Darfur, according to the United Nations and international rights groups. 

The war has intensified in recent months, with the military making steady advances against the RSF in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country. 

The RSF, which controls most of the western region of Darfur, said that it downed a military aircraft on Monday in Nyala, the provincial capital of South Darfur province. 



Clerics Accuse West Bank Israeli Settlers of Attacking Christian Sites

Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa walks during the visit of the town of Taybeh, a Christian village in the Israeli-Occupied West Bank, following settler attacks, July 14, 2025. (Reuters)
Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa walks during the visit of the town of Taybeh, a Christian village in the Israeli-Occupied West Bank, following settler attacks, July 14, 2025. (Reuters)
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Clerics Accuse West Bank Israeli Settlers of Attacking Christian Sites

Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa walks during the visit of the town of Taybeh, a Christian village in the Israeli-Occupied West Bank, following settler attacks, July 14, 2025. (Reuters)
Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa walks during the visit of the town of Taybeh, a Christian village in the Israeli-Occupied West Bank, following settler attacks, July 14, 2025. (Reuters)

Christian leaders accused Israeli settlers on Monday of attacking sacred sites in the West Bank, in violence that one said was forcing some to consider quitting the occupied territory.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III - visiting the Christian town of Taybeh with other Jerusalem-based clerics - said settlers had started a fire near a cemetery and a 5th century church there last week.

"These actions are a direct and intentional threat to our local community ... but also to the historic and religious heritage," the patriarch told diplomats and journalists at a press conference in Taybeh.

Settlers had also attacked homes in the area, he said.

"We call for an immediate and transparent investigation on why the Israeli police did not respond to emergency calls from the local community and why these abhorrent actions continue to go unpunished," he added.

Israel's government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Israel's government had previously said that any acts of violence by civilians are unacceptable and that individuals should not take the law into their own hands.

During the visit, the heads of the churches led locals in prayer as candles flickered in the ruins of the 5th century church of St George. They spoke with residents who described their fears.

B'Tselem and other rights groups say settler violence in the West Bank has risen since the start of Israel's war against Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza in late 2023.

Dozens of Israelis have also been killed in Palestinian street attacks in recent years and the Israeli military has intensified raids across the West Bank.

Palestinian health authorities and witnesses said two men, including a US citizen, were killed by settlers during a confrontation on Friday night.

Fears over violence were pushing Christians to leave the West Bank, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Roman Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem since 2020, said.

"Unfortunately, the temptation to emigrate is there because of the situation," he added. "This time it's very difficult to see how and when this will finish, and especially for the youth to talk about hope, trust for the future."

Around 50,000 Christian Palestinians live in Jerusalem and in the West Bank, an area that includes many of the faith's most sacred sites including Bethlehem where believers say Jesus was born.

Around 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war, which Palestinians see as part of a future state.