The recent events at Nyala Airport in South Darfur have added another layer of complexity to Sudan’s ongoing civil conflict. On 6 August 2025, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) claimed responsibility for an airstrike that allegedly destroyed an Emirati-operated aircraft transporting weapons and foreign mercenaries to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The SAF portrayed the operation as a decisive move against foreign interference, but the United Arab Emirates, the RSF, and independent analysts have strongly disputed this account. The lack of verifiable evidence has left the truth shrouded in uncertainty.
The Sudanese Armed Forces’ Version
According to the SAF, the strike on Nyala Airport—controlled by the RSF—was a targeted mission aimed at halting arms shipments and foreign fighters entering the conflict. Military spokespersons claimed the destroyed aircraft was carrying Colombian mercenaries and advanced weaponry, accusing the UAE of covertly backing the RSF. The SAF framed this as a “surprise message” to deter further foreign involvement in Sudan’s war.
Denials on the said strike allegations
The Gulf nation has labelled them fabricated and politically motivated. Officials stressed that there was no Emirati aircraft in Sudan at the time and accused the SAF of spreading disinformation to mask its battlefield setbacks.
The RSF echoed this position, dismissing the SAF’s version as completely baseless and accusing the army of using propaganda to distract from its own military losses in Darfur and beyond.
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Independent Verification Efforts
Despite the gravity of the SAF’s claims, independent monitoring has not produced concrete proof to back them up:
- Satellite imagery from the period shows no confirmed destruction of an Emirati-registered plane at Nyala Airport.
- Aviation tracking services reported no loss of Emirati aircraft matching the SAF’s description.
- Analysts have pointed out that visible burn scars at Nyala Airport predate the alleged August strike, making them an unreliable indicator for this incident.
The Conflict Context
Nyala Airport has been a key strategic location in the Sudanese civil war, serving as a logistical base for RSF operations in Darfur. Earlier in 2025, the RSF had carried out drone strikes on Kassala and Port Sudan, prompting retaliatory actions from the SAF. In this volatile environment, control of air routes and supply chains has become a critical element in the struggle for dominance.The Nyala Airport incident underscores the murky nature of information in modern conflicts, where military claims, political narratives, and propaganda intertwine. While the SAF’s version paints the strike as a bold stand against foreign interference, the RSF maintains that the allegations are a fabrication. The absence of independent verification means that, for now, the truth remains contested.
