Sudan’s TASIS-led Peace Government has called for an urgent United Nations investigation into alleged Egyptian airstrikes that killed dozens of Sudanese gold miners, accusing Cairo of violating Sudanese sovereignty and demanding international accountability.
Prime Minister Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi submitted an urgent appeal addressed to the UN secretary-general, Security Council, Human Rights Council and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, according to local Sudanese media reports on Tuesday.
The appeal calls for an immediate halt to alleged Egyptian military operations inside Sudan, an independent international investigation and consideration of referring those responsible to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Al-Taishi accused Egyptian warplanes and drones of striking artisanal gold-mining sites at Jabal al-Uqaydat, near the Al-Ansari market in Red Sea State, on October 10.
He further alleged that forces loyal to Sudanese military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and military intelligence personnel coordinated with the Egyptian military in carrying out the attacks.
The allegations of Egyptian responsibility and coordination with Burhan’s forces have not been independently verified.
According to the appeal, dozens of civilian miners were killed, wounded or reported missing, while more than 30 injured workers were transported to Al-Ansari for emergency treatment.
Hundreds of miners reportedly fled into surrounding mountains, where they faced severe shortages of food, drinking water and medical assistance.
Most of the affected workers were from Darfur and Kordofan and depended on traditional gold mining for their livelihoods, the TASIS government said.
Al-Taishi argued that the alleged attacks could constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, calling for an investigation into military command structures, operational planning and those responsible for issuing orders.
He urged international investigators to secure flight records, satellite imagery, military orders and ammunition remnants to establish responsibility.
The prime minister also asked the Security Council to consider referring the case to the ICC under Article 13(b) of the Rome Statute and examining non-military measures under Article 41 of the UN Charter.
The appeal follows allegations of similar attacks against Sudanese miners in June, which the TASIS government said resulted in further civilian casualties and destruction of mining facilities.
Independent casualty estimates for the latest incident differ. The Emergency Lawyers rights group reported 72 deaths, while the Sudan Doctors Network initially documented at least 13 people killed and 28 injured.
Egypt’s military said on Monday that it was continuing operations against illegal gold mining within Egyptian territory, including a campaign involving warning leaflets.
However, its statement did not directly address allegations that Egyptian aircraft had attacked civilian miners inside Sudan.
Meanwhile, Burhan ordered a separate fact-finding investigation into the incident, with judicial, prosecutorial and security representatives tasked with establishing the circumstances of the reported deaths.
Al-Taishi said the TASIS government was prepared to cooperate with independent international investigators, including facilitating access to witnesses, victims and affected locations.
The government also called for urgent humanitarian assistance and compensation for victims’ families.
There has been no independently confirmed UN response to the TASIS appeal.
