KHARTOUM, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's army on Monday carried out its first airdrop of supplies in nearly five months to its besieged base in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, the military said.

In a statement, the army said the operation "boosted the morale of our forces." A military source in El Fasher told Xinhua that an army cargo plane delivered ammunition, food, medicine, and other supplies to the 6th Infantry Division early in the morning.

An eyewitness reported seeing an Antonov aircraft fly over the city on Monday morning, dropping boxes inside the base. The plane was not targeted by anti-aircraft fire from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the eyewitness said.

The army had halted supply flights to El Fasher in April after the RSF shot down a fighter jet over the city. The garrison has been under tight siege since then.

El Fasher and surrounding displacement camps have faced near-constant siege by the RSF since 2024. Analysts warn the city could fall unless the army sends reinforcements.

The broader conflict between the SAF and RSF, which broke out in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands and forced millions to flee their homes, deepening Sudan's humanitarian crisis. ■