Kenyan Pilot Killed as Aircraft Shot Down in Sudan's Darfur Region

A Kenyan pilot, Captain Michael George Oluoch Nyamodi, was killed when the cargo plane he was piloting was struck by artillery fire near Nyala Airport in the conflict-ridden Darfur region of Sudan. 

The incident, which also claimed the lives of South Sudanese pilot Samson Ohide and an undetermined number of foreign nationals, occurred amid heightened tensions between Sudan's military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group controlling the airport. Sudanese forces reportedly targeted the aircraft, a Boeing 737-290C registered as 5Y-CKD and operated by IBM Airlines Limited, suspecting it was carrying supplies for the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti. 

The RSF has faced widespread condemnation for alleged war crimes in the ongoing power struggle with Sudan's national army. Nyamodi, a pilot with a history of regulatory infractions, had previously been detained in South Sudan for aviation violations. His final flight was operated by IBM Airlines, a company linked to a Somali businessman with diverse interests in real estate, hospitality, and trade. 

Adding to the complexities, the aircraft itself was banned from operating in Kenya by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), although the precise reasons for this prohibition remain unclear. The plane had been grounded domestically before being deployed to foreign locations. The incident further strains diplomatic relations between Kenya and Sudan. 

Sudanese officials, including Vice President Malik Agar, in a letter dated March 14, 2025, have previously accused Kenyan President William Ruto of supporting the RSF, which complicates Kenya's diplomatic stance. Conversely, the Kenyan government has hosted Hemedti at State House on multiple occasions, fueling speculation regarding Kenya's potential role in the Sudanese conflict.

The downed aircraft has a convoluted ownership history. Initially operated by Alaska Airlines in the United States, it subsequently passed through various entities, including Icaro Air in Ecuador and Trans Air in Congo, before being acquired by IBM Airlines in Kenya. Prior to the attack, the aircraft's movements had raised suspicions. Aviation trackers recorded its presence in Bosaso, Puntland, in December 2024, and at the military section of N’Djamena Airport in Chad. 

Although South Sudanese authorities briefly cleared the aircraft for a 72-hour landing window, it was temporarily detained during operations in Wau, South Sudan. Nyamodi's body has been moved to Chad, with repatriation to Kenya underway. His family has commenced funeral arrangements, holding prayer meetings at Nairobi’s All Saints Cathedral. 

IBM Airlines has yet to release a statement regarding the incident. Questions remain about the plane's activities in Sudan and whether its operators were aware of the risks involved in flying to a war zone.