Kyrgyzstan exposes media deception

The incident of the Rapid Support Forces downing an “Ilyushin 76” aircraft used in military missions in Al-Malha area, East Darfur, at dawn on Monday, October 21st, revived questions regarding the role of mercenaries in the Sudanese war, especially Russian mercenaries.

As did the name of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, that was also brought up frequently after a wave of media deception about its ownership and the parties working for it.

The Incident Details

The pro-Army media outlets claimed that the plane didn’t belong to the Sudanese Army, and that it was rented by the United Arab Emirates from a Kyrgyz company for the Rapid Support Forces, stating that it was shot down by mistake due to poor coordination within the Rapid Support Forces’ ranks.

However, this claim later turned out to be misleading, as the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, through its government agency for Civil Aviation, exposed the lies in this story, confirming that the plane was no longer registered in its name since the beginning of the year after it was sold to the government of Sudan.

The Republic of Kyrgyzstan’s Announcement

In an official statement, the Civil Aviation Agency of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic announced that the aircraft bearing registration number (EX-76011) had been removed from the Republic’s Civil Aircraft Register on January 12th, after becoming the property of the Government of Sudan.

This announcement came to confirm that the aircraft was officially affiliated with the Sudanese Army at the time of its downing, which belies the story initially presented by the Army’s supporters that was widely circulated.

Crew and Aircraft Details

The Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs also provided important information in regards to the aircraft, stating that the travel document found at the crash site belonged to a Russian citizen named “Victor Granov”, an employee of Airline Transport Incorporation ‘FZC’, and not to the “Manas” Company affiliated with Bishkek Airport in Kyrgyzstan.

This confirms what has been rumored about the Sudanese Army using Russian mercenaries in its war, and has effectively restored its old relationship with the Wagner Group (currently Africa Corps). Reinforcing suspicions about the mercenaries’ support for the Sudanese Army in the ongoing conflict since the outbreak of the war on April 15th.

Kyrgyz Embassy Demands Investigations

In a newer development, the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia requested information about the incident from the authorities in Port Sudan, through diplomatic channels, noting that its citizens weren’t on board the plane, highlighting the international dimension of the incident.

Rapid Support Forces’ Statement

In an official statement, the Rapid Support Forces confirmed that they were able to shoot down the “Ilyushin 76” plane with their air defenses. They provided evidence such as photos of the plane’s wreckage and charred bodies, in addition to documents and identification documents, that included a Russian passport. The plane’s black box was also displayed.

Media Misinformation

In an attempt to justify the incident, the “Sudan War Monitor” website, which is suspected of being linked to the activist “Amjad Farid”, who is known for his close ties to the Sudanese Security Services, and is now working in coordination with the Military Intelligence of the Sudanese Army to support the Army’s war propaganda.

The website published a misleading story about the plane, claiming that the plane didn’t belong to the Sudanese Army, but was coming from the Emirates carrying military supplies for the Rapid Support Forces, and that it was shot down by mistake due to a lack of coordination between field commanders.

This media misinformation carried out by the website spread quickly through the pro-Army media, before factual information revealed that the plane was on a military mission for the Sudanese Army.

Testimonies and additional information

According to a military source working at the Port Sudan Air Base, the “Ilyushin 76” plane had taken off on a military mission heading to El-Fasher, where it dropped military supplies that included; weapons, ammunition and medicines for the Sudanese Army Forces besieged inside the Sixth Infantry Division. On its way back, it was shot down by the Rapid Support Forces’ air defenses in Al-Malha area.

The source confirmed that the plane was carrying five people, including the Russian pilot “Victor Granov” and his assistant, who is also Russian, in addition to three members of the Sudanese Air Force, namely Group Captain Al-Moez Omar Absher, Flight Engineer Babiker Al-Sayed Qadura, and Technical Assistant Sufyan Khalaf Allah. All of whom were killed, and their bodies were found charred and dismembered at the scene of the wreckage.

Conclusion

The incident of shooting down the “Ilyushin 76” plane highlights the involvement of mercenaries and international parties in this war. It also reveals the extent of media deception practiced by the Sudanese Army Forces and their supporters, which makes stopping this war that is being carried out by the Sudanese Islamic Movement known for its complex relations with extremist groups in the region and its close relationship with Iran, which contributes to the prolongation of the war and exacerbates the humanitarian disaster, as well as endangers international security and peace in the near future, an urgent necessity.