PORT SUDAN – Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minawi has called on Sudanese and Egyptians to exercise restraint and avoid escalation over airstrikes that hit Sudanese miners in the Shamal al-Wadi area near the Egyptian border, urging the public to await the results of an investigation before assigning responsibility.
Minawi said in a statement that he met the Egyptian ambassador and consul at the Egyptian Embassy in Port Sudan to discuss the incident, which has generated concern and controversy in both countries.
He said most of the reported victims were from the Darfur region.
According to Minawi, the Egyptian officials expressed regret over the loss of life and offered condolences to the victims’ families. He said they affirmed Egypt’s commitment to establishing the facts through an investigation currently underway in cooperation with the Sudanese government.
Minawi said the meeting stressed the need to avoid hasty reactions and reliance on unverified information. He also urged media outlets in both countries to report accurately and avoid rhetoric that could inflame tensions or incite hostility.
The Shamal al-Wadi area, in the far north of Red Sea State near Sudan’s border with Egypt, was hit by airstrikes targeting artisanal gold-mining sites.
Survivors have reported that at least 200 people were killed and hundreds injured, although the casualty figures have not been independently verified and no final official death toll has been announced.
Responsibility for the strikes also remains unconfirmed.
Following the incident, Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan ordered the formation of a fact-finding committee on Oct. 12 comprising representatives of the Public Prosecution and relevant judicial and security bodies.
The committee was tasked with investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and submitting a report on its findings.
The Sovereign Council said protecting citizens’ lives, safety and dignity was a fundamental responsibility of the state and noted that communication between Sudanese and Egyptian officials was continuing over the incident.
Minawi called on the Sudanese and Egyptian governments to strengthen coordination and exchange information on the investigations transparently, saying this would help clarify the facts for the public, reassure victims’ families and address the consequences of the incident through legal channels.
He also warned against using the incident to make sweeping accusations against an entire people or to promote inflammatory rhetoric, including statements targeting the Joint Force.
Minawi said the historical and social ties and shared interests between Sudan and Egypt required both sides to protect relations between their peoples and prioritize dialogue and cooperation.
He urged the public to wait for the investigation before reaching final conclusions about the circumstances of the airstrikes or those responsible.
No findings from the investigation or timetable for the committee’s final report have yet been announced, and no definitive official account identifying responsibility for the strikes was available at the time of publication.
