Name? Abdel Fattah El-Sisi
Westphalian identity? Egyptian
Age? 71
Why is he in the news? Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Egyptian President, reportedly sent Egyptian fighter jets to the gold mines at the border with Sudan and, according to the rights group Emergency Lawyers, resulting in the death of at least 72 civilians. El-Sisi did not directly confirm the attacks; however, Egypt confirmed that the military was carrying out operations at the border with Sudan to crack down on illegal gold mining to protect its national sovereignty. The attack was carried out on the informal mine of Jabal al-Uqaydat, which had already been targeted in June, with at least 15 informal gold miners. Egypt also arrested miners and confiscated their equipment.
Why do we care? The mine is located in the Halayeb Triangle, rich in resources, a region disputed between the two countries. It is currently controlled by El-Sisi’s Egypt. The gold extracted by the Sudanese workers is then smuggled into Egypt through the porous border and sold on the international market.
Why should you care? Sudan has been engulfed in civil war since April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. El-Sisi is a key supporter of SAF, but remains worried that the conflict will spill over the borders. All of this is taking place in one of the most tumultuous regions in the world right now.
Who else cares? Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council of Sudan, cares. Al-Burhan ordered an official investigation into the strike. However, his muted response following the attack demonstrates the SAF’s reliance on El-Sisi’s support in the conflict.
Any further comments? The Halayeb Triangle attracts young men looking for jobs amid the civil war in Sudan, which is estimated to have killed more than 200,000 people already.
