Sudan's Islamist government has accused rebels of killing a Red Cross pilot on an aid mission in the south, the independent al-Ayamdaily reported today.
The Danish pilot was killed when his plane came under fire over southern Sudan yesterday.
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The Red Cross said a blast rocked the plane after it descended to counter a cabin pressure problem on a routine flight from northern Kenya to a government-held town in southern Sudan encircled by rebels.
"The area where the incident took place lies under the control of the rebel movement and we do not have troops in the area," al-Ayamquoted armed forces spokesman Lieut Gen Mohamed Bashir Suleiman as saying.
The co-pilot died almost instantly from a severe head injury. The other pilot managed to fly the plane back to Kenya.
The Red Cross said it had no information about who fired at the plane but rebels who have waged an 18-year war for autonomy and secular rule said the government was responsible.
The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) said the attack happened just north of the government-held town of Torit, 200 km west of the Kenyan town of Lokichokio.
An SPLA spokesman said only government forces had the kind of anti-aircraft gun or similar weapon needed to damage the plane, which was flying at around 2,400 metres.
Lieut Suleiman said the plane had been hit by three bullets from light arms rather than antiaircraft weapons which showed that a single gunman was responsible. He said such an attack did not bear the hallmarks of army activity.
Mr Sulaf al-Din Saleh, Sudan's government-appointed aid commissioner, told the al-Rai al-Aamdaily the state was investigating the incident but said the armed forces were not involved.