KOSTI – The Central Darfur state government has denied remarks circulating on social media and attributed to Governor Mustafa Nasr al-Din Tambour, saying claims that he urged national forces not to condemn attacks on mining areas in northern Sudan were “fabricated and baseless.”
In a statement issued on Monday, Oct. 12, through the office of its official spokesperson, Ibrahim Abdelmalik Mohamed, the government said the circulated remarks did not represent the position of either the governor or the state government.
It warned against spreading misleading information and falsely attributing statements to officials, saying such practices could mislead public opinion and fuel discord.
The denial comes amid controversy over an airstrike that hit artisanal mining sites in the Shamal al-Wadi area near the Egyptian border on Saturday, Oct. 10, with conflicting reports indicating that dozens of Sudanese miners were killed or injured.
The Emergency Lawyers group accused the Egyptian military of carrying out the strikes and reported an initial death toll of 72.
Activists cited substantially higher estimates, putting the number of deaths at at least 200. Sudan Now could not independently verify the casualty figures or determine who carried out the strikes.
Neither the Sudanese nor Egyptian authorities had issued an official account of the incident at the time of publication.
The attack has renewed concerns over the safety of artisanal miners operating in remote border areas.
In June, Egyptian authorities announced a security operation targeting what they described as illegal mining, smuggling and irregular border crossings, saying more than 200 people had been arrested. That operation does not, however, establish responsibility for the latest airstrikes.
The Central Darfur government called for accurate and responsible reporting as demands continue for an official account of the casualties, an investigation into the circumstances of the strikes and accountability for those responsible.
