Two senior Egyptian border guard officers have been killed in armed confrontations during a military operation targeting illegal gold mining in the Eastern Desert near the Sudanese border, Egypt’s military announced on Friday.
Military spokesperson Colonel Ahmed Othman identified the deceased as Colonel Ahmed Samir, chief of staff of the Border Guard Forces in the southern region, and Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Gouda, operations chief of a border guard battalion in the Southern Military Region.
Their deaths were confirmed during a news conference outlining the results of three phases of military operations against unauthorised gold mining and preparations for a fourth phase, according to Egyptian media, including the country’s official news agency.
Othman acknowledged that armed exchanges had occurred during the campaign but did not disclose the exact dates or circumstances in which the two officers were killed.
The military campaign has so far involved three operational phases conducted between June 14 and October 29.
According to the spokesperson, a fourth phase is scheduled to begin on Saturday and will continue until the military achieves its stated objectives.
Othman said the operations were intended to safeguard Egypt’s natural resources and prevent illegal activities that authorities consider threats to national security.
He emphasised that the campaign was directed against unlawful operations rather than civilians.
The spokesperson also revealed that Egyptian forces had carried out pre-emptive operations to disrupt the movement of weapons and ammunition across the border.
These measures were intended to cut off supply routes used by groups he described as “criminal elements” operating in the border region.
The military has not provided further details about the armed groups involved in the clashes or the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the two officers.