Prime Minister Mohamed Hassan Osman Eltaishi urges the AU Commission to launch an independent investigation, protect civilians, and uphold regional sovereignty following cross-border military attacks.
NEW YORK / ADDIS ABABA — The Transitional Peace Government has called upon the African Union to take immediate, decisive action to halt external military aggression and secure accountability following a devastating series of airstrikes that targeted civilian artisanal miners within Sudanese territory.
In an official communiqué addressed to H.E. the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Prime Minister Mohamed Hassan Osman Eltaishi detailed the fatal attacks that struck the Al-Uqaidat mining site, near the Al-Ansari market in the Red Sea State, on Saturday, October 10, 2026. According to the letter, the strikes were executed using warplanes and drones belonging to the Egyptian Armed Forces in coordination with opposing military intelligence elements.
The bombardment resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, including fatalities, injuries, and missing persons. More than thirty severely wounded workers were rushed to the Al-Ansari market for emergency first aid, while hundreds of survivors fled into the surrounding rugged mountains under severe, life-threatening conditions without access to drinking water or basic humanitarian supplies.
The Prime Minister emphasized that these assaults follow a chilling pattern, echoing similar deadly raids conducted in the same region in June 2026 that left hundreds dead, injured, or missing, destroyed local workplaces, and displaced thousands. Stressing that the victims are primarily civilian laborers from Darfur and Kordofan seeking to secure their livelihoods, the letter asserted that neither regional identity nor economic activity can ever justify targeting civilians or compromising their fundamental rights.
Legal grounds and AU responsibilities
Invoking the foundational tenets of the African Union, the Transitional Peace Government underscored that the ongoing attacks directly violate multiple articles of the AU Constitutive Act and international law:
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Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity: Article 3 mandates the defense of member states’ sovereignty and territorial independence.
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Prohibition of Force: Article 4 strictly prohibits the threat or use of force among member states and interference in domestic affairs.
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Grave Circumstances: Highlighting Article 4(h) and the Peace and Security Council Protocol, the communication urged the AU to address potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.
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Human Rights and Humanitarian Law: The letter cited the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights alongside core principles of International Humanitarian Law, affirming that no military cooperation arrangement or alleged consent can waive obligations to protect civilians or grant immunity from prosecution.
Demanded actions
The Transitional Peace Government has outlined an urgent multi-point action plan for the continental body:
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Emergency PSC Session: Convene an immediate meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council to address the attacks, check escalating external military interventions, and adopt a firm stance preserving Sudanese sovereignty.
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Official Accountability: Demand that Egyptian authorities immediately halt all hostile operations and provide formal legal justifications for military actions inside Sudan.
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Independent Fact-Finding: Establish an independent AU fact-finding mission—or a joint mechanism with the United Nations—to investigate the chain of command, planning, and execution of both the October and June attacks.
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Human Rights Protection: Activate the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to document violations, safeguard witnesses and survivors from retaliation, and secure unhindered humanitarian access for emergency medical treatment, clean water, and food supplies.
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Systemic Reform: Integrate external military interventions into the broader AU handling of the Sudanese conflict to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure comprehensive victim reparations and guarantees of non-repetition.
Prime Minister Eltaishi concluded by reiterating the government’s full readiness to cooperate with any independent investigative body, stressing that political conflicts in Sudan do not suspend the rights of its citizens nor absolve the international community from protecting human life.
Immediate next steps
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Verify Distribution: Ensure formal delivery and registration of the official communication with the AU Peace and Security Council and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
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Humanitarian Coordination: Finalize logistics for emergency medical evacuations and relief corridors toward the Red Sea State border areas.
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Briefing Schedule: Monitor upcoming AU diplomatic sessions scheduled for the week of October 19, 2026, to track the placement of the emergency agenda item.
