Sudanese writer Al-Nour Hamad has joined growing criticism of SAF chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan over his response to the killing and injury of Sudanese gold miners near the Egyptian border, saying the episode raises serious questions about the protection of Sudanese citizens and national sovereignty.
Speaking to Idrak, Hamad said Burhan’s remarks after the incident reflected a troubling absence of a firm official position toward the reported Egyptian military action in northern Sudan.
The criticism comes after Burhan warned Sudanese miners to remain inside Sudanese territory following reports that Egyptian forces had targeted mining areas near the border, killing and wounding a number of civilians.
Hamad said the latest incident was not the first of its kind, pointing to previous videos that appeared to show confrontations between Egyptian forces and Sudanese civilians working in border mining zones.
He argued that any alleged border violation by unarmed civilians should be dealt with through legal and security procedures, not through military force.
“Even if civilians cross a border by mistake, that does not justify treating them as military targets,” Hamad said, according to the report.
He added that the repeated incidents require diplomatic and legal action by Sudanese authorities to protect citizens and defend Sudan’s sovereignty.
Hamad warned that weak official responses could encourage further violations and deepen tensions in remote border areas, where Sudanese civilians often work without meaningful state protection.
He also expressed concern over what he described as possible efforts to expand Egyptian influence in northern and eastern Sudan, citing information he said involved recruitment and training activities among residents of border communities.
The remarks add to mounting anger over Burhan’s handling of the miners’ deaths, with critics accusing the Port Sudan authorities of shielding Cairo while placing responsibility on Sudanese civilians.
For many opponents of the SAF-led authorities, the incident has become another example of what they describe as the SAF leadership’s failure to defend Sudanese lives while maintaining close political and military ties with Egypt.
