Gold Crackdown Clashes Kill Two Egyptian Officers

Two Egyptian officers—a colonel and a lieutenant colonel serving in the Southern Region Border Guard—were killed during a military operation against illegal gold mining near the country’s southern border. Egypt says the campaign, launched in June to strengthen control of its territory and protect national resources, has completed three phases, with a fourth set to begin Saturday; authorities report detaining 151 Egyptians and 540 foreign nationals. The military also says it has seized weapons and ammunition and is coordinating with Sudanese officials to improve border security. The crackdown targets mining and smuggling networks that have grown amid Sudan’s civil war, while officials warn that illegal mining also damages soil, water, agriculture and livestock.