Fact check on Sudan clashes: Video clips are from video game, not conflict in Khartoum
A man inspects destroyed vehicles outside the headquarter of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries in southern Khartoum on April 19, 2023 amid fighting between Sudan's regular army and paramilitaries following the collapse of a 24-hour truce.
Two videos have been circulating widely on social media showing what appears to be warplanes taking fire from the ground. The videos are purported to have been captured in Sudan and have triggered confusion online.
“Sudan people are bleeding and blood has been shed. Let's pray for Sudan.” reads the caption accompanying a 12-second video posted to Twitter on Apr 18, 2023.
Another video posted on Twitter on the previous day says:
“Honestly heartbreaking to see conflict erupt, once again in a #Muslim country. We reject violence everywhere on this earth, and we hope that peace will prevail in all countries Ya Allah, help the innocent, punish the wicked. #Sudan.”
These videos have gained traction online leaving some internet users confused amid the latest reports about raging tension in Sudan.
However, these two viral videos have one common point. They were drawn from video games.
A close look at the graphics reveals the videos were extracted from video game footage that has nothing to do with real-life situations and they were shared maliciously to insinuate heightened clashes and tension in Sudan.
A search for the TikTok username attached to the first video leads to a Tiktok account where the user specifies that the video belongs to a gaming platform, where users can experience true combat video games.
The video, which had over 2.1 million and 13 thousand views on Tiktok and Twitter respectively, looks like an animation and resembles other clips showing the video game.
Several Twitter users who commented on the second video also identified the video game footage. One user noted that the video clip.
"This is not real, it is gameplay from Arma 3. The heli is the Mi-48 Kajman from Arma 3."
Sudan situation
On Saturday 15th April 2023, violent clashes erupted in Khartoum revolving around infighting between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group known as the RSF, or Rapid Support Forces.
Sudan’s army launched airstrikes on a RSF’s base near Khartoum in an effort to reassert control over Sudan.
This sparked deadly violence between the two groups, who have engaged in gunfights in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, as well as in Darfur region and the eastern border State of Kassala.
As yet, the violence has spiralled leaving almost 200 people dead, and 1800 injured, according to reports.
Equally, media reports indicate that at least 14 airplanes at Khartoum International Airport were destroyed during clashes.
The latest satellite imagery analysis from planet.com has also revealed the level of destruction at Khartoum International Airport.
Image from Khartoum International Airport taken on Monday 17th, 2023, shows smoke bellowing from destroyed airplanes as captured by Planet labs.
Based on our research, we established that these videos shared to depict conflict in Sudan are FALSE.
A look at the graphics shows the footages are computer generated video games.
