Burhan orders investigation into reports of deaths of 72 miners — Anadolu Agency
Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on October 12 ordered an investigation into reports of the deaths of 72 miners near the border with Egypt. This was reported by Anadolu Agency. The incident in question occurred on October 10 in the Northern al-Wadi area in Sudan.
The prosecutor’s office will be involved in the commission
A statement by the Sovereignty Council said that the investigative commission would include representatives of the prosecutor’s office, as well as judicial and security bodies. The commission is to establish the circumstances of the incident and submit a report on the results of its work. No deadline for completing the investigation was announced.
Al-Burhan said that protecting the lives, security and dignity of Sudanese citizens is a fundamental duty of the state. He also stressed the need to take the incident seriously, establish the facts, and ensure the protection and respect of borders. According to him, the leaderships of Sudan and Egypt are maintaining contact to clarify the circumstances of the event and disclose the facts.
Reports of an airstrike
On October 11, the independent lawyers’ group Emergency Lawyers said that the death toll from an airstrike in the Northern al-Wadi area had risen to 72 miners. The organization expressed suspicion that the strike may have been carried out by Egyptian aircraft. Cairo did not immediately comment on the report.
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Several hours before the Emergency Lawyers statement, the Sudan Doctors Network reported 13 deaths and 28 injuries as a result of aerial bombing near the Egyptian border.
More than 2 million people work in Sudan’s artisanal gold mining sector, which accounts for about 80% of the country’s gold production. Sudan depends heavily on gold as a source of foreign currency after losing three-quarters of its oil revenue following South Sudan’s secession in July 2011.
Since April 2023, a war has continued in Sudan between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. According to estimates by the UN and international organizations, the conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and forced about 13 million people to leave their homes.
