Menna

I’ll ask again: what were these Sudanese nationals doing inside Egypt’s borders? Illegal mining involving organised criminal groups. What happened? Egypt launched a large-scale operation against illegal gold miners and gangs involved in arms smuggling, drug trafficking and human trafficking. This campaign covers Egypt’s entire Eastern Desert, not just the south. The Sudanese nationals killed in the airstrikes while illegally mining for gold were actually inside Egyptian territory. Yes, inside the Halaib–Shalateen Triangle, which is under Egyptian control. That is the reality on the ground. I don’t understand why some people seem so disconnected from it. Egypt warned them beforehand to evacuate the area, making clear that anyone who stayed would be putting their life at risk. The airstrikes followed those warnings, which are documented in the leaflets dropped over the area. Do you know what happened when the Egyptian military previously let them operate or dealt with them with considerable restraint? They killed the chief of staff of Egypt’s Border Guard forces, along with several other EAF officers and soldiers. That is when Egypt changed its approach. So why engage in illegal activities inside Egypt’s borders in the first place?