El Burhan orders investigation into deaths of Sudanese miners near Egyptian border

Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Commander and Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council President, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, has ordered a fact-finding committee to investigate the deaths of Sudanese miners near the Egyptian border.

The committee will include representatives of the Public Prosecution and relevant judicial and security authorities. It will investigate the circumstances of the incident, establish the facts and submit a report on its findings, the council said in a statement seen by Radio Dabanga on Monday.

This follows a similar probe conducted in the wake of a reported attack by Egyptian forces earlier this year on June 17 and 18.

‘Conflicting reports on death toll’

Reports on the number of miners killed in Saturday’s bombing differ sharply.

The Sudan Doctors Network reported 13 deaths and 28 injuries, while the Emergency Lawyers group reported that at least 72 miners had been killed. The figures have not been independently reconciled.

The incident has drawn widespread condemnation, with critics calling on the authorities to end their silence, establish the facts and make the findings public.

The council said the leaderships of Sudan and Egypt had remained in contact following the incident, stressing the need to protect lives, preserve relations between the two peoples and establish the facts for public scrutiny.

It described protecting the lives, safety and dignity of Sudanese citizens as a fundamental responsibility of the state. It also stressed the need for a serious investigation to establish the facts and ensure respect for the border.

The council expressed condolences to the families of the Sudanese miners killed in the incident in the border area between Sudan and Egypt.