Port Sudan, June 18 (Darfur24)
Sudanese officials and political parties have called for an urgent investigation into a deadly attack on artisanal gold miners near the Sudanese-Egyptian border that left more than 30 people dead and over 50 injured, amid growing demands for accountability and assurances that similar incidents will not recur.
On Tuesday, artisanal mining sites in the Jabal al-Uqaydat area near Sudan’s northern border came under aerial bombardment. Miners in videos circulated on social media claimed the aircraft involved belonged to Egypt, while local reports also spoke of a ground incursion by Egyptian forces into the area. Neither the Sudanese nor the Egyptian governments have officially confirmed responsibility for the attack.
Amjad Farid, adviser to Sovereignty Council Chairman and Sudanese Armed Forces Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said the incident requires serious engagement between the governments of Sudan and Egypt.
In a post on the X platform, Farid described the attack as part of a series of recurring border incidents that have claimed victims on both sides in recent years.
“The issue should be addressed with the logic of the state and responsibility, not through political exploitation and polarization,” he said.
Farid added that official communication channels between Khartoum and Cairo remain open and that efforts are already underway to address the incident and prevent a recurrence, although he did not provide further details.
The Sudanese Congress Party, meanwhile, condemned what it described as a “heinous massacre” targeting civilians engaged in traditional mining inside Sudanese territory.
In a statement, the party said the airstrike was followed by a large-scale ground operation involving approximately 60 military vehicles supported by aerial cover, extending toward the Al-Ansari market area and forcing hundreds of residents and miners to flee into remote desert regions.
The party accused authorities in Port Sudan and the Sudanese Armed Forces of failing to protect Sudanese sovereignty and citizens along the country’s northern border.
It called for an urgent international and independent investigation into both the airstrike and the reported ground operation, and urged humanitarian organizations and local communities to assist missing miners stranded in desert areas under extreme weather conditions.
According to the statement, field reports indicate that some bodies remain trapped beneath rubble, while missing persons face serious risks due to a lack of water and shelter.
The National Umma Party also condemned what it described as a military attack on Sudanese territory and demanded a transparent international investigation to establish responsibility.
In a statement signed by party leader Fadlallah Burma Nasser, the party said the incident represented a dangerous escalation and stressed that protecting national sovereignty and citizens’ lives is a responsibility that cannot be compromised.
The party called on the United Nations, the African Union, and regional organizations to help protect civilians, preserve Sudan’s territorial integrity, and support accountability efforts.
According to local sources and eyewitnesses who spoke to Darfur24, the death toll from the attack has risen to more than 30, while over 50 others have been injured. Dozens remain missing after fleeing into the surrounding mountains and desert areas during the bombardment.
A local official in the mining sector suggested that the incident may be linked to tensions that erupted in March, when Sudanese miners reportedly expelled an Egyptian mining company operating in a disputed border area and burned some of its equipment. The incident was followed by clashes involving Egyptian border guards that left several miners dead and injured.
The circumstances surrounding Tuesday’s attack remain unclear, and no official investigation results have yet been released.