Egypt’s Armed Forces apprehended 691 people, including 151 Egyptians and 540 foreign nationals, during a campaign against illegal gold mining in the Eastern Desert, according to Military Spokesperson Colonel Ahmed Othman Ali on Thursday, 5 November.
Speaking at a press conference, Othman announced that the fourth phase of the campaign would begin on Saturday, 7 November, following three phases conducted between 14 June and 29 October.
He said another 6,614 people had voluntarily surrendered before the operations began. The Armed Forces also seized 34 weapons, 6,307 rounds of ammunition, 317 vehicles, and 916 pieces of engineering and technical equipment.
The campaign also resulted in the removal of 4,488 tents and makeshift shelters used in illegal mining operations.
According to Othman, the operations targeted armed criminal groups involved in unauthorised gold extraction, some of which were linked to cross-border weapons trafficking, drug smuggling, and illegal migration.
He said the first phase took place near Marsa Alam, while the second targeted the Jabal Eiqaat area in the Eastern Desert.
During the operations, two military officers were killed in exchanges of fire: Colonel Ahmed Samir and Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Gouda.
Othman also highlighted the environmental and economic consequences of illegal mining, stating that the activities had contributed to soil and water pollution, affected agriculture and livestock, and discouraged investment in the mining sector.
He added that the Armed Forces were coordinating with Sudanese authorities on border security and stressed that all operations were taking place within Egyptian territory.
According to the spokesperson, the military had issued advance warnings and held meetings with tribal leaders to encourage those involved to surrender. He said announcing the fourth phase in advance was intended to provide another opportunity for individuals to leave the affected areas before operations resumed.
Egypt’s Eastern Desert contains several gold deposits, including the Sukari mine near Marsa Alam. Under Egypt’s Mineral Resources Law, gold exploration and extraction require licences from the relevant authorities.
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