Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s political adviser, Amjad Farid, has condemned deadly airstrikes against Sudanese gold miners near the Egyptian border as an unjustifiable crime, while accusing unnamed political opponents of exploiting the killings to attack the Port Sudan authorities.
Farid, who advises Burhan on political and foreign affairs, said in a statement posted on X that alleged border violations could never justify the aerial bombardment of civilians, particularly when established diplomatic and legal channels were available to resolve disputes.
He stressed that protecting Sudanese citizens remained a fundamental responsibility of the state, despite the severe pressures imposed by the country’s ongoing war.
Farid also accused what he described as political mercenaries of exploiting the deaths for political gain, alleging that some critics were using the incident to undermine the government while defending foreign interests. He did not identify the individuals involved.
His intervention follows airstrikes on October 10 against gold mining settlements in the North Valley region near Sudan’s border with Egypt.
The Sudan Founding Alliance (TASIS) and survivors have reported more than 200 deaths, while the Emergency Lawyers rights group documented at least 72 fatalities. The Sudan Doctors Network initially reported 13 deaths and 28 injuries.
The conflicting casualty figures have not been independently verified.
Sudanese political groups and survivors have accused Egyptian military aircraft of carrying out the attacks. Egyptian authorities have not officially acknowledged responsibility, while Farid’s public remarks stopped short of directly identifying the country responsible.
On Monday, Burhan ordered a fact-finding investigation involving judicial, prosecutorial and security officials. His Sovereignty Council said Sudanese and Egyptian leaders had maintained contact following the incident.
The attacks have renewed scrutiny of the Port Sudan authorities’ response to alleged Egyptian military operations against Sudanese civilians, particularly given the close political and security relationship between Burhan’s administration and Cairo.
TASIS has separately demanded an independent international investigation and accountability for those responsible.
