Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Monday ordered an investigation into deadly airstrikes on gold mining settlements near the Egyptian border, following allegations that Egyptian military aircraft killed scores of Sudanese civilians.
The decision follows Saturday’s attacks in the North Valley mining region, where the Sudan Founding Alliance (TASIS) and survivors have reported more than 200 deaths. The Emergency Lawyers rights group reported at least 72 fatalities, while the Sudan Doctors Network initially documented 13 deaths and 28 injuries.
The conflicting casualty figures have not been independently verified, and Egyptian authorities have not publicly acknowledged responsibility for the strikes.
According to a statement from the army-aligned Transitional Sovereignty Council, Burhan established a fact-finding committee comprising representatives of the public prosecution, judicial authorities and relevant security agencies.
The committee has been tasked with investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Sudanese miners along the border and submitting a report detailing its findings.
The council said protecting Sudanese citizens and safeguarding their lives and dignity remained a fundamental state responsibility, stressing the need to establish the facts and respect national borders.
It also said Sudanese and Egyptian leaders had maintained contact since the incident, with discussions focused on protecting lives, preserving bilateral relations and establishing what happened.
However, the statement did not directly accuse Egypt of carrying out the bombardment, identify the aircraft involved or announce a timetable for completing the investigation.
The announcement comes amid mounting criticism of Burhan’s administration over its response to the alleged attacks, particularly its close political and military relationship with Cairo.
Reuters reported that two Egyptian security officials described the strike as an attempt to end what they called disorder along the border and prevent Egyptian and Sudanese groups from taking control of mining areas. The comments did not constitute an official Egyptian acknowledgement of responsibility.
Burhan had previously promised an investigation in June after Sudanese miners accused Egyptian forces of carrying out similar attacks near the frontier, raising renewed questions about the effectiveness of earlier efforts to prevent further violence.
TASIS has demanded an independent international investigation into the latest alleged bombardment, calling for accountability and warning that attacks on civilians inside Sudanese territory would represent a serious violation of national sovereignty.
