A Sudanese military transport plane crashed into a residential neighborhood on the outskirts of Khartoum late Tuesday, killing 46 people, the regional government confirmed Wednesday. The Antonov aircraft went down near the Wadi Seidna air base, one of the largest military hubs in Omdurman, located northwest of Sudan’s capital.

The Sudanese army reported that the crash occurred during takeoff, claiming the lives of both military personnel and civilians. The final toll reached 46 dead, with 10 others injured, according to a statement from the Khartoum regional government’s media office.

Witnesses in the area recounted hearing a loud explosion before seeing homes damaged by the crash, which also led to power outages in nearby neighborhoods. Emergency teams rushed to transport injured civilians, including children, to a nearby hospital for treatment.

A military source, speaking anonymously, attributed the crash to a technical malfunction. The crash follows another violent incident, where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claimed responsibility for shooting down a Russian-made Ilyushin aircraft over Nyala in South Darfur the day before, killing its crew.

The plane crash comes amid intensified military advances by the Sudanese army in central Sudan and Khartoum. The army’s push is part of a broader offensive against the RSF. Meanwhile, the RSF has signed a charter with political and armed allies in Nairobi, Kenya, aiming to form a parallel government in rebel-held areas.

The ongoing conflict, which began with a rift between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamadan Daglo, has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. The war has devastated Khartoum and other major cities, plunging Sudan into a severe humanitarian crisis and crippling vital infrastructure.