The Sudanese Women’s Union has called for urgent international legal action against Egypt over alleged airstrikes that killed dozens of Sudanese gold miners near the northern border, demanding accountability for the victims and protection of Sudan’s sovereignty.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the union urged Sudanese legal professionals, political organisations and civil society groups to coordinate efforts to bring the case before international legal bodies.
The organisation accused Egyptian authorities of committing serious violations against Sudanese civilians and said the incident required a coordinated legal response rather than isolated statements of condemnation.
The union called for action on two fronts: defending Sudan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and pursuing justice and compensation for the families of those killed or injured.
It stressed that Sudanese political, legal and diplomatic institutions must not remain silent over what it described as a grave crime against civilians.
The statement follows reports that at least 72 Sudanese artisanal gold miners were killed in airstrikes near the Egyptian border on Saturday, October 10.
Sudanese rights group Emergency Lawyers accused the Egyptian air force of carrying out the strikes, although responsibility for the attack has not been independently established.
The incident has triggered widespread condemnation from Sudanese political organisations and human rights groups, with growing demands for an independent investigation and accountability.
Sudan’s military leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, subsequently ordered the formation of a fact-finding committee involving judicial and security authorities to investigate the deaths.
Egypt’s military, meanwhile, acknowledged conducting operations against illegal gold mining within what it described as Egyptian territory but did not directly address allegations that its aircraft had attacked Sudanese miners.
The Women’s Union criticised what it characterised as Sudan’s longstanding tolerance of Egyptian actions, arguing that the country must adopt a firmer position when its territory and citizens are threatened.
It called for a decisive legal and diplomatic response that would establish accountability and prevent similar incidents.
Despite its strong condemnation of Egyptian authorities, the union emphasised that pursuing justice should not undermine the historic relationship between the Sudanese and Egyptian peoples.
It said the longstanding social, cultural and humanitarian ties between the two populations should remain intact regardless of political disputes or changes in government.
The organisation maintained that defending Sudanese sovereignty and seeking justice for victims were compatible with preserving relations between the two neighbouring societies.
