On Saturday, October 10, 2026, Egyptian military aircraft carried out an airstrike on artisanal gold mining sites in the Jabal Al‑Uqaydat area of Sudan’s Red Sea State. The attack resulted in the killing of 72 civilians and the injury of 120 others, with estimates suggesting that the death toll may exceed 100. The strike also caused extensive destruction to civilian property.
The Sudanese Human Rights Activists – Norway expresses its profound sorrow for the loss of Sudanese civilians in this attack, and extends heartfelt condolences to their families. We wish a full and speedy recovery for the injured, and reaffirm that the protection of civilians must remain an absolute priority under all circumstances.
The Sudanese Human Rights Activists – Norway strongly condemn this attack, affirming that the targeting of civilians and local economic infrastructure constitutes a crime that must not go unpunished. The organization stresses that the attack represents a direct violation of Sudan’s sovereignty and the rights of Sudanese civilians, and a grave breach of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), International Human Rights Law (IHRL), and the Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts (ARSIWA). The attack further exacerbates the already dire humanitarian situation in Sudan, which is facing one of the worst crises in the world.
This incident marks the second Egyptian attack on Sudanese territory in 2026. A previous large-scale ground operation carried out by Egyptian forces -comprising approximately 60 armed vehicles- on Sunday, June 21, in Sudan’s Red Sea State, resulted in the shooting of three civilians, the arrest of 67 Sudanese nationals, and the beating and ill-treatment of detainees. Survivors were forced to delete photos and videos, and their phones were confiscated to prevent documentation.
Cross-border attacks on populated civilian areas directly violate fundamental principles of international law, including:
1- Article 51 of the UN Charter/ Prohibition of Use of Force, which makes any military operation inside Sudan without the consent of Sudanese authorities or without a legitimate act of self-defense an unlawful use of force.
2- The 1949 Geneva Conventions, particularly the rules protecting civilians during armed conflict.
3- The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), especially provisions concerning the right to life and the prohibition of arbitrary attacks on personal safety.
4- Customary international law, which prohibits unjustified attacks on the territory of another state without legal authorization or a clear and proportionate defensive justification.
5- The principle of non-intervention under the UN Charter, which prohibits states from using force within the territory of another state without legal grounds.
6- The principle of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, a peremptory norm of international law (Jus Cogens).
7- The principle of distinction and the principle of proportionality, core rules of IHL that prohibit targeting civilians or civilian infrastructure under any circumstances.
Accordingly, the organization holds the Egyptian government internationally responsible for this attack and calls for the immediate and permanent cessation of all military operations inside Sudanese territory. The organization further urges Egypt to respect its international obligations and ensure that such violations do not recur.
The organization calls on the international community, including the United Nations, the African Union, and the European Union, to take a clear and firm stance against this aggression and put pressure on the Egyptian authorities to ensure the protection of Sudanese civilians from future attacks.
The Sudanese Human Rights Activists in Norway affirm their commitment to monitoring and documenting these violations, and to working with partners in Europe, Egypt, and Sudan to ensure accountability and to defend the rights of Sudanese civilians against external and internal abuses alike.
This includes monitoring the situation of Sudanese nationals inside Egypt, where our sources report incidents of harassment against Sudanese workers following the killing of two Egyptian citizens in Sudan. In this context, we extend our sincere condolences to the families of the deceased Egyptians, call for calm and restraint, and urge that justice be pursued for all.
As the Sudanese community continues to suffer from war and displacement, the organization calls on the UNHCR and its partners to fulfill their responsibilities toward Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers during these difficult times.
Sudanese Human Rights Activists – Norway
14 October 2026