Sudan army chief al-Burhan orders probe into airstrike that killed 72

The incident involved several reported airstrikes on Saturday morning at Jabal al-Uqaydat, a large informal gold-mining site near Sudan's border with Egypt. Emergency Lawyers said 72 people died and accused Egypt of carrying out the attack. The claim has not been independently verified.

A witness described seeing a plane strike the site several times. The attacks caused panic among people working there. In response, Burhan formed a fact-finding committee with prosecutors, judicial officials and security representatives. Its task is to investigate the circumstances and submit a report.

The investigation matters because the strike occurred in a sensitive border zone and allegedly hit civilians. Sudanese and Egyptian authorities have stayed in contact since the incident. Egypt has not officially commented on the accusation, so the committee could help clarify responsibility and shape the two countries' next steps.

Jabal al-Uqaydat is an informal gold-mining area in a rugged, mountainous part of the Sudan-Egypt border region. The site is described as sprawling and mineral-rich. It has become especially important because many people affected by Sudan's war have entered dangerous gold mining for income.

The wider frontier stretches for hundreds of kilometres. It also includes the Halayeb Triangle, a resource-rich territory claimed by both Sudan and Egypt. This makes the area more than a mining location. It is also a place where national borders and competing territorial claims overlap.

The exact position of the mine within the border zone is not given in greater detail in the article. However, its proximity to Egypt helps explain the political sensitivity of the reported strike. Any attack there raises questions about civilian safety, border control and the countries' territorial claims.

Emergency Lawyers reported that Saturday's airstrike at Jabal al-Uqaydat killed 72 people. The group documents abuses during Sudan's war, but AFP could not independently verify its claim. A witness confirmed that a plane carried out several strikes and described panic at the mine.

The reported toll is far higher than the toll from an earlier strike at the same informal mine. In June, airstrikes reportedly killed 23 workers. The newer figure is 49 higher, or slightly more than three times the June toll.

Both incidents show the danger facing people working in the border region's informal mining industry. Egypt's military did not claim responsibility for the June attack. It said then that it had conducted a large-scale operation against illegal gold mining within Egyptian territory. Egypt has made no official comment on the latest accusation.

The accusation came from Emergency Lawyers, a rights group documenting abuses in Sudan's war. It said Egypt carried out the strike that reportedly killed 72 people at Jabal al-Uqaydat. The group did not provide publicly verified evidence in the article beyond its accusation.

A witness at the mine described seeing a plane conduct several strikes on Saturday morning. That account supports the claim that an air attack occurred, but it does not establish which country or force operated the aircraft. AFP said it could not independently verify the reported death toll or accusation.

Egypt has issued no official comment about the latest incident. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty instead stressed mutual respect and respect for territorial integrity in a call with his Sudanese counterpart. In June, Egypt's military acknowledged a large-scale operation against illegal gold mining within its borders, but did not claim responsibility for that earlier strike.

If Sudan's investigation concludes that Egyptian forces attacked civilians on Sudanese territory, the finding could create a serious diplomatic crisis. It would directly challenge Sudan's territorial integrity and raise questions about Egypt's conduct along their shared border. The article does not state what action Sudan would take after such a conclusion.

Possible consequences include formal protests, demands for accountability and pressure to clarify rules for border operations. Cooperation on smuggling, trafficking and security could become more difficult. These are potential implications, not reported decisions. The two governments have remained in contact, and Egypt's foreign minister emphasized mutual respect and respect for borders.

The outcome would be especially significant because Egypt is described as one of Burhan's closest regional allies. The investigation may therefore either reduce uncertainty through an evidence-based account or deepen tensions if responsibility is attributed to Egyptian forces.

The region is sensitive because several conflicts overlap there. Sudan and Egypt both claim the resource-rich Halayeb Triangle. The wider frontier is also a route for gold smuggling, illicit trade and human trafficking. Its rugged terrain and porous border make enforcement difficult.

Gold mining adds another pressure. Sudan's war has killed more than 200,000 people and driven many into dangerous mining work. Gold helps fuel both sides' war efforts, while the border trade attracts criminal networks. Egypt has tried to stem these activities, including through mass deportations.

Against this background, an airstrike at a mining site can affect civilians, national security and diplomatic relations at once. The reported attack is also the second this year at Jabal al-Uqaydat. That repeated violence increases scrutiny of how each country handles border violations and armed threats.

Informal gold mining can finance conflict because gold is valuable and easily traded. The article states that the industry fuels both sides' war efforts. Mining therefore provides income in a humanitarian crisis while also helping sustain armed actors. People may enter the dangerous sector after the war destroys safer livelihoods.

The border economy includes gold smuggling and illicit trade. These activities can move money and resources outside formal government control. That creates incentives for armed groups and criminal networks, while making enforcement harder. The article does not detail the exact payment systems or military purchases involved.

Territorial integrity means a state retains authority over its land and borders. It matters when security threats cross boundaries because one country’s operation can become another country’s violation. Egypt’s foreign minister stressed respect for Sudan’s territorial integrity. The investigation will examine whether that principle was breached and whether civilians were attacked.