Ta'sees: Egyptian Strikes Killed Hundreds of Sudanese Civilians Inside Sudan
In an official statement, the Sudan Founding Alliance (Tasis) said Egyptian strikes hit mining areas in North Al-Wadi, Al-Uqaydat and Al-Ansari, more than 50 km inside Sudan, killing hundreds of Sudanese civilian miners, and demanded an immediate halt, an independent international investigation and fair compensation.
Against the backdrop of allegations made during the press conference of the Egyptian Military Spokesperson regarding the outcomes of the aggression on Sudan, claiming that military operations targeted illegal gold mining and aimed to protect Egyptian sovereignty and national resources—which resulted in the killing of hundreds of Sudanese civilians.
The Sudan Founding Alliance wishes to confirm the following to public opinion:
First: The official spokesperson for the Egyptian army claimed that its military operations took place within Egyptian territory; however, reality and evidence contradict these claims. The targeted areas—namely North Valley, Al-Oqaydat, and Al-Ansari—are all located within Sudanese territory, more than 50 kilometers away from the Egyptian border, as confirmed by maps, international reports, and satellite imagery.
Second: The claim that the victims were criminal elements is false. The individuals killed and attacked were Sudanese citizens, and the shelling targeted civilian gatherings comprising thousands of workers in the mining sector who were not party to any armed conflict nor possessed combat weapons, as claimed by the Egyptian Military Spokesperson.
Third: There is no direct connection between the killing of the Egyptian officer—who was killed last March during a security pursuit—and the crime of attacking the mines and killing hundreds of Sudanese in July and October. Bringing up the Egyptian officer’s death is nothing more than a ploy to justify the crime of aggression and civilian killings, as well as an attempt to invent pretexts for launching further attacks and continuing the killings to depopulate the area and control it and its wealth.
Fourth: Egyptian claims regarding the aggression, the nature of the victims, and the objectives of the operation contradict field evidence as well as human rights and economic analyses. The evidence indicates that what occurred falls under a policy of using force against civilians and seizing control of resources, rather than legitimate sovereign procedures.
Fifth: Combating illegal mining does not constitute a legal justification for using military force inside the territory of another country, despite the clear collusion of Al-Burhan and the Muslim Brotherhood; rather, it represents a blatant interference in the affairs of a sovereign state. Furthermore, the continuation of military operations based on these same justifications and pretexts constitutes an illegal violation. Accordingly, the Sudan Founding Alliance demands an immediate cessation of these operations, refraining from any military actions that endanger the lives of Sudanese civilians, the formation of an independent international commission of inquiry, and fair compensation for the victims.
Ahmed Tugod Lisan Official Spokesperson for the Sudan Founding Alliance (Ta'sees)