Egypt: Chief of Staff of the Southern Border Guard and his deputy killed

The military spokesperson for the Egyptian Armed Forces announced the death of Colonel Ahmed Samir, chief of staff of the Border Guard’s Southern Region, and Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Goda, head of operations of one of the Border Guard battalions operating in the Southern Military Zone, during clashes with individuals engaged in illegal gold prospecting in the Eastern Desert. Colonel Ahmed Attan, chief of staff, clarified during a press conference on Thursday evening that the confrontations occurred while the Armed Forces were conducting field operations to counter illegal prospecting activities. He affirmed that these movements aim to assert Egyptian sovereignty over its entire territory and to protect workers and investments in the mining sector from threats posed by armed elements.