Waidi El Atri / El Rataj / Argeen / Cairo — A Sudanese human rights organisation has accused Egyptian forces of carrying out a fresh operation against Sudanese gold miners near the Sudan-Egypt border, arresting dozens of people days after a deadly incident that survivors say killed more than 50 miners inside Sudanese territory.
Darfur Victims Advocacy said Egyptian forces arrested 67 Sudanese miners and wounded three others during a raid in the Wadi El Atri area on June 21. The organisation cited testimonies from witnesses and survivors who said a large force of around 60 military vehicles surrounded mining sites before carrying out arrests and opening fire.
The group said at least three civilians were injured, including one miner who reportedly required treatment in Port Sudan.
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Darfur Victims Advocacy also alleged that Sudanese military intelligence later summoned seven miners and ordered them to delete photographs and videos of the incident. According to the organisation, officers confiscated mobile phones, searched their contents and warned those summoned against publishing material documenting the attack.
Witnesses said Egyptian aircraft struck mining sites in the area, killing dozens of Sudanese miners and injuring many others. Large numbers of miners reportedly fled into surrounding desert and mountain areas following the attack.
During a visit to the border area of El Rataj in Red Sea state this week, Sovereignty Council President and Commander-in-chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan said authorities were investigating the incident and urged Sudanese citizens not to cross into Egyptian territory.
His remarks drew criticism from Sudanese commentators and activists, who argued that they echoed the Egyptian government's account of events before the completion of any investigation.
Writer and journalist Rasha Awad told Radio Dabanga that adopting the Egyptian narrative risks shifting responsibility onto the victims and could undermine efforts to establish accountability if the attack occurred inside Sudan.
Egyptian authorities have maintained that security forces targeted illegal activities in the Southern Military Region, including unlicensed gold mining, smuggling and irregular migration. The Egyptian military said it detained 223 people, including 136 foreign nationals, and seized vehicles, communications equipment, weapons and mining machinery.
The statement did not address allegations that Egyptian forces operated inside Sudanese territory or reports of Sudanese casualties.
Humanitarian concerns are mounting at Sudan's northern border crossings as thousands of deported miners and returning Sudanese arrive from Egypt.
Officials at the Argeen border crossing said more than 3,000 deported Sudanese miners have recently passed through the area enroute to Dongola. Local volunteers reported that between 450 and 500 returnees arrive daily, while the crossing struggles with inadequate services and limited capacity.
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Members of the Wadi Halfa Emergency Room warned that growing numbers of deportees and returnees are placing severe pressure on transport, accommodation and humanitarian assistance in the border region.
Human rights groups have called for an independent investigation into the border incidents, urging authorities to preserve evidence, protect witnesses and establish the fate of detainees.
