Khartoum, October 12 (Darfur24)
Sudan’s Sovereignty Council announced on Monday the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate airstrikes on artisanal mining sites near the Egyptian border that reportedly killed at least 200 Sudanese miners.
The strikes, which occurred on Saturday in the North Valley area of Red Sea state, sparked public anger and accusations that Egypt was responsible. The Sudanese army’s Facebook page disabled comments amid the backlash.
In a statement, the Sovereignty Council said its chairman, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, had ordered the formation of a committee comprising representatives of the Public Prosecution, the judiciary and security authorities.
The committee will investigate the circumstances of the attack, establish the facts and submit a report on its findings, the statement said.
It added that protecting the lives, safety and dignity of Sudanese citizens was an inherent responsibility of the state, stressing the need to establish the facts and ensure that the country’s borders were protected and respected.
The council also said Sudanese and Egyptian leaders had remained in contact following the incident to establish the circumstances surrounding the strikes.
On Sunday, the Sudanese Founding Alliance condemned what it described as an Egyptian military air attack on the North Valley region inside Sudanese territory, saying it had killed 200 people and wounded many others.
The alliance accused Egyptian aircraft of conducting airstrikes in several parts of Sudan this year, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries. Its spokesman held the Egyptian government responsible for the civilian casualties and called for an independent and transparent international investigation into Egypt’s alleged role in the conflict.
“This shocking Egyptian targeting that has shed the blood of Sudanese people, and this continuous violation of Sudan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the blood of our citizens, reveals an undeniable truth about Egyptian intentions and ambitions for the country’s resources, in the absence of the state,” the spokesman said.
The North Valley region lies north of Port Sudan in Red Sea state, near the Sudanese-Egyptian border.
The latest attack follows previous incidents involving artisanal miners along the border. In mid-June, an airstrike on mining areas reportedly killed at least 15 people and injured dozens. Authorities in both countries did not publicly explain the attack at the time.
Last July, Egyptian authorities launched an arrest campaign targeting Sudanese artisanal miners, saying they had entered Egypt illegally. The miners were subsequently deported to Sudan, while dozens reportedly remained in detention.
In March, at least nine Sudanese miners were killed and others injured in clashes between gunmen and Egyptian border guards in the Wadi al-Ansari area along the two countries’ border.
The Civil Democratic Alliance of Revolutionary Forces also condemned the latest airstrikes. Citing eyewitnesses, the coalition said Egyptian warplanes had attacked the Al-Uqaydat mine near Al-Ansari market inside Sudanese territory.
The coalition said attacks that endanger civilian lives were unacceptable and called on Sudan’s military-appointed authorities to clarify their position and take responsibility for protecting people in areas under their control.
It also called for an urgent, independent investigation, protection for miners, emergency assistance for those affected and measures to prevent further attacks.