Sudan security headaches: military plane mishap, tribal clashes claim 68 lives

18 people died Thursday in the crash of a Sudanese military plane in Darfur. They were seven crew members, three judges and eight civilians, including four children,” the army said in a statement.

The plane crashed five minutes after taking off from the airport in El Geneina, capital of West Darfur State, where it had been carrying humanitarian aid. There were no survivors.

The humanitarian aid was intended for people affected by the tribal violence that has rocked this region of western Sudan in recent days.

Bloody clashes between rival Arab and African tribes have left nearly 50 people dead and about 240 injured, including about 20 in critical condition between Sunday and Monday . They were all transferred to Khartoum, 1,100 km east of El Geneina.

A dispute between two people is believed to be at the root of the violence, the Sudanese media reported. An official delegation has been in the region under curfew since Monday.