October 12, 2026
Human rights organizations participating in the NGO Forum held alongside the 89th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Dakar (October 8–21), together with the African Coalition for Accountability and Ending the War in Sudan, condemn in the strongest terms the airstrikes carried out on October 10, 2026. These strikes targeted artisanal gold mining sites near Al-Uqaydat and Souq Al-Ansari in northeastern Sudan. According to accounts from witnesses and survivors, the raids resulted in the deaths of hundreds of miners and caused the destruction and collapse of mines upon the workers inside.
Survivors and eyewitnesses have accused Egyptian aircraft of carrying out the bombing. The coalition maintains that these allegations, combined with the reported scale of casualties, necessitate an urgent, independent international investigation.
This inquiry must identify the aircraft involved, the parties that ordered and executed the attack, and the circumstances that led to such a high number of casualties. Delays or obstruction of the investigation must not result in impunity.
Images and video footage reveal the extent of the destruction. Witnesses reported fatalities and injuries, as well as the flight of large numbers of miners to the surrounding mountains, where they face shortages of drinking water, food, and medical supplies. The impact of the attack extends to the families of the deceased and missing, as well as to thousands of Sudanese who rely on artisanal mining for their livelihood.
The allegations regarding the bombing of Al-Uqaydat arise amidst reports and testimonies that have raised serious questions about Egypt’s role in the Sudanese war. Since the early days of the conflict in April 2023, local reports and eyewitness accounts have cited airstrikes attributed to Egyptian aircraft strikes that, according to these testimonies, targeted civilian infrastructure and factories in Khartoum North (Khartoum Bahri).
The coalition calls upon African fact-finding mechanisms and the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan to investigate these incidents, identify the aircraft and responsible parties, and examine Egyptian interventions in the war more broadly.
The New York Times previously reported in an investigation based on satellite imagery, flight records, video footage, and interviews with officials—that advanced military drones took off from the East Oweinat base in southern Egypt and carried out strikes inside Sudan.
The investigation concluded that the activity of these drones indicated Egypt’s entry into the war on the side of the Sudanese Armed Forces. This reinforces the need to investigate the use of Egyptian territory and facilities, the nature of any coordination, and the responsibility for those strikes.
The coalition asserts that if it is proven that attacks were launched from Egyptian territory or carried out using Egyptian bases and facilities, the Egyptian authorities would bear responsibility, necessitating investigation and accountability. An independent and transparent investigation is essential to uncover the nature of any military coordination or support and to determine the responsibility of each party for attacks within Sudan.
The bombardment of miners, the collapse of mines upon them, the ongoing search for the missing, the resulting casualties, and the displacement of workers—who have lost their livelihoods—render the events at Al-Uqaydat a humanitarian emergency requiring immediate action. Mining areas and the Sudanese border must not be allowed to become open arenas for attacks, leaving Sudanese lives unprotected and denying victims and their families truth and justice.
The organizations call for the following measures to be taken:
1. Condemn the raids attributed to Egyptian aircraft and launch an immediate, independent, and impartial investigation into the October 10 attack on mining sites near Al-Uqaydat and the Al-Ansari market, in order to identify the aircraft involved and the parties that planned, ordered, or executed the attack.
2. Task UN and African mechanisms with investigating Egypt’s role in military operations within Sudan; including the use of the East Oweinat base, Egyptian airspace and facilities, and any coordination, support, or involvement with the Sudanese Armed Forces. The coalition also calls on Egyptian authorities to provide information and cooperate fully.
3. Halt attacks launched from Egyptian territory or carried out using Egyptian facilities to target Sudan, and refrain from providing any military or logistical support that prolongs the war or endangers civilians.
4. Launch urgent rescue operations to access collapsed mines, retrieve those trapped, and search for the missing; ensure the safe passage of rescue and ambulance teams; and transport the injured to medical facilities. 5. Provide immediate aid to survivors and displaced persons—including drinking water, food, medicine, and medical care while prioritizing children, women, the injured, and the elderly.
5. Preserve evidence of the attack and disclose related information such as flight logs, satellite imagery, video footage, and survivor testimonies and compile verified lists of the deceased and missing to prevent the destruction of evidence.
6. Ensure accountability and redress for those found responsible, compensate victims and their families, and refer evidence to the competent judicial authorities.
7. Implement measures to prevent the recurrence of attacks and engage African and international mechanisms to monitor the incident, protect civilians, and uphold the right to life.
The coalition calls upon the Egyptian authorities to cease their interference in the Sudanese war, disclose any involvement in, support for, or facilitation of military operations within Sudan, and cooperate with independent investigations. It also urges African and international states and organizations to protect civilians, hold those responsible to account, and ensure that these serious allegations are investigated and that perpetrators do not escape accountability. 1. African Coalition for Accountability and Ending the War in Sudan
2. Independent African Observatory for the Protection of Civilians in Sudan
3. African Justice Network for Sudan
4. Horn of Africa Initiative for Peace and Rights
5. Nile Center for Transitional Justice
6. African Association for the Defense of Conflict Victims
7. African Civil Society Network for Solidarity with Sudan
8. African Forum for Human Rights and Combating Impunity
9. East Africa Initiative to Investigate Violations in Sudan
10. African Network for the Defense of War Victims
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