Egyptian MiG-29M2 fighters captured by Sudanese paramilitary group

Egyptian MiG-29M2 fighter jets and their crew, which were deployed at Merowe International Airport (Marawi) to participate in bilateral military exercises, were captured by the Sudanese paramilitary group RSF, which opposes the government of the military junta, which came to power after a coup d’état in 2019.

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فيديو يظهر سيطرة قوة من ميليشيا الدعم السريع على طائرات عسكرية روسية الصنع في مطار مروي.#السودان
A video showing a force of the Rapid Support Forces controlling Russian-made military aircraft at Marawi Airport.#Sudan pic.twitter.com/QeCKZbpRBO

— Sudan News (@Sudan_tweet) April 15, 2023

On April 15, 2023, hostilities broke out between the Sudanese military junta and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which quickly moved into the cities of Khartoum, Marawi, Port Sudan and several others, where heavy urban fighting is currently taking place.

According to the Sudan Medical Syndicate, at least 56 civilians have been killed and 595 others injured since the fighting begana.

What are the Egyptian MiG-29 Fulcrum doing in Sudan?

Egypt, which has an interest in maintaining excellent relations with Sudan because from there it can threaten to bomb the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile (whose water flow is vital to all populations and economies within the Nile River basin), regularly sends its MiG-29M2 fighter jets and other assets to conduct military exercises with its southern neighbor.

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There is a maintenance hangar in use of #Egypt Air Force in #Merowe International Airport where several more MiG-29M2 fighter jets are parked. Their landing gear tires are protected from desert mice by means of metial shield, because they love eating aircraft's tires. pic.twitter.com/pH3kcjtsZW

— Babak Taghvaee – The Crisis Watch (@BabakTaghvaee1) April 15, 2023

The five MiG-29M2 aircraft deployed this time in Sudan, along with their pilots and technical support personnel, were surprised and quickly captured when RSF forces seized Merowe airport, located in Marawi City.

See also: Germany authorized Poland to transfer MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine

Various sources reported that authorities in Cairo have been in contact with the parties to the conflict to try to avoid an escalation of violence in Marawi and thus preserve the safety of Egyptian military personnel captured by the rebel group.