* Nine people injured in the crash
* Flight was on the way to Darfur
* U.S. sanctions have degraded Sudan air fleets
(Adds death toll, details)
KHARTOUM, Oct 7 (Reuters) - A Sudanese military planecarrying personnel and equipment to the strife-torn Darfurregion crashed near the capital Khartoum on Sunday killing 13people on board, the army said.
The plane's engine stopped working and the pilot was tryingto make an emergency landing when he went down about 40km (25miles) southwest of the Khartoum suburb of Omdurman, state newsagency SUNA reported.
The Antonov 12 transport plane was travelling to El Fasherin northern Darfur, military spokesman Al-Sawarmi Khalid toldReuters.
Thirteen people died and nine were injured in the crash, allof them military personnel, he added.
There have been several crashes in Sudan in recent years,where years of U.S. sanctions have made it difficult forairlines to get spare parts for their fleets.
The plane belonged to Azza Air, the state-linked SudaneseMedia Centre reported. An Azza cargo plane leased by SudanAirways crashed in the United Arab Emirates in 2009.
In August, 32 people including a government minister diedwhen a plane taking them to an Islamic festival crashed in asouthern border state. State media blamed that accident on badweather.
A military helicopter crashed in the country's NorthKordofan state in December because of a technical failure,killing six crew members, the military said at the time.
Government forces have been battling an insurgency in Darfursince rebels took up arms in 2003, accusing Khartoum ofneglecting the remote region.
(Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz and Alexander Dziadosz; Writingby Alexander Dziadosz; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
((alexander.dziadosz@thomsonreuters.com))
Keywords: SUDAN CRASH/