Darfur’s governor says most reported victims of the North Wadi bombing came from Darfur, as rights groups demand accountability, cross border trade stalls and concerns grow over people fleeing the strikes.
Darfur governor Minni Minnawi has urged Sudanese and Egyptian authorities to establish the facts surrounding deadly strikes on artisanal gold miners near the Egyptian border, warning against collective blame as tensions rise between the two countries.
Dozens of Sudanese miners were reportedly killed in airstrikes in North Wadi on Saturday. Minawi said most of the reported victims came from Darfur and called for an end to the demonisation of the joint forces, stressing that individual incidents must not fuel accusations against entire communities.
In a statement following a meeting with Egypt’s ambassador and consul in Port Sudan on Wednesday, Minawi said the Egyptian diplomats had expressed regret over the casualties and pledged that an ongoing investigation, conducted in cooperation with the Sudanese government, would establish the facts.
He urged both governments to coordinate their investigations, publish their findings transparently and hold those responsible to account. He also called on citizens and the media in both countries to avoid unverified reports and inflammatory rhetoric.
Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Commander and Transitional Sovereignty Council President Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan has ordered a fact-finding committee to investigate the miners’ deaths, while the National Human Rights Commission has announced plans to establish its own inquiry.
This follows a similar probe by El Burhan conducted in the wake of a similar reported attack by Egyptian forces earlier this year on June 17 and 18.
The Sudanese Observatory for Human Rights has meanwhile called for urgent verification of reports that people fleeing the strikes were detained after reaching Port Sudan, while others were taken into Egyptian territory. The organisation demanded disclosure of their whereabouts and guarantees for their safety and legal rights.
‘Border trade disrupted as calls for accountability grow’
The fallout has spread to cross border transport. The Egyptian Truck Drivers’ Union announced a suspension of truck movements into and out of Sudan until further notice, citing the killing of two Egyptian drivers in Khartoum and concerns over the safety of its members.
Meanwhile, the Ashkeet and Argeen border crossings in Northern State remained closed for a third day amid protests against restrictions on personal imports and the import of fruit and vegetables.
Residents of Wadi Halfa warned that the restrictions were driving up the cost of basic goods, squeezing traders and worsening an already difficult economic situation. One resident told Radio Dabanga that protesters could escalate their action if the authorities failed to respond.
Condemnations of the miners’ deaths have continued across Sudan, with political groups, Resistance Committees, the Sudanese Journalists’ Syndicate and other organisations calling for an investigation and accountability. Activists have also launched a social media campaign under the hashtag #Haq_Al_Dahaba (right of the gold miners), demanding justice for the victims.
The Justice and Equality Movement condemned the deaths of Sudanese miners while also expressing regret over the killing of two Egyptian nationals in Khartoum and the injury of a third. It urged the public to reject disinformation, inflammatory campaigns and unverified casualty figures.
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