Sudan's Security and Defense Council has issued sweeping decisions banning the presence of army personnel and members of the country's security and regular forces in mining areas, while ordering the confiscation of weapons and military vehicles found in violation of the directive.
The council also approved the establishment of special courts to prosecute drug trafficking, human trafficking, and the smuggling of weapons and gold, in a move aimed at intensifying the fight against organized crime and reinforcing state control over the mining sector.
In a statement, the council said the decisions were taken following a meeting chaired by Sovereign Council Chairman and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
The meeting reviewed the latest security developments and the progress of military operations across the country before approving new measures that, according to the statement, are intended to strengthen national security and uphold the rule of law.
Special courts
The council approved a package of measures that includes the creation of special courts to hear cases involving drug trafficking, human trafficking, and the smuggling of weapons and gold. It also prohibited any presence of the army or allied regular forces in mining areas and ordered the seizure of weapons and military vehicles found in breach of the decision.
The council reaffirmed the state's commitment to pursuing measures that strengthen the rule of law, combat organized crime, and address security threats in a manner that safeguards the country's stability and the safety of its citizens.
The decisions come weeks after a security campaign targeting prospectors and illegal mining networks near the Sudanese-Egyptian border, followed by the withdrawal of Sudanese government forces from several border mining sites. The developments highlighted the fragility of the security situation in gold-producing areas and underscored the need to reorganize the military presence there.
The Security and Defense Council did not specify which areas would be the first to implement the withdrawal order or which authority would oversee its enforcement. It also did not clarify when the special courts would begin operating or define their procedural jurisdiction, limiting itself to stressing the importance of continued state measures to protect national security and combat organized crime.
First official announcement
The decision marks the first official announcement ordering the removal of regular forces and allied units from mining areas that, during the years of war, have become hotspots where artisanal mining activities overlap with the proliferation of weapons and smuggling networks, amid the erosion of government oversight across large parts of the country due to the conflict.
Sudan has become increasingly dependent on gold as its principal source of foreign currency. However, a substantial share of production is smuggled out of the country through networks operating along the borders with several neighbouring states, taking advantage of wartime disorder and weakened security oversight. Official estimates and international reports indicate that gold smuggling has deprived the state treasury of significant revenues, while the sector has become one of the most prominent pillars of the informal economy throughout the years of armed conflict.
In recent months, Sudanese authorities have stepped up operations against gold smuggling networks, drug traffickers, and human trafficking rings, announcing on several occasions the seizure of shipments of narcotics and weapons. The government has linked the growth of these activities to the expanding influence of organized crime in war-affected regions.
Last June, Egyptian authorities announced operations targeting groups involved in illegal mining and smuggling along the country's southern border with Sudan. Following those developments, al-Burhan urged Sudanese prospectors not to cross the border and said the authorities were working with the relevant agencies to resolve the issue.
During the meeting, the Security and Defense Council congratulated the Armed Forces, the regular forces, and allied units on what it described as military victories across various fronts. It reaffirmed the state's commitment to taking the necessary measures to protect national security, strengthen the rule of law, and confront security threats.
