Egyptian Writer Accuses Gov't of Training Sudanese Forces to Use Chemical Weapons

Addis Ababa, October 24, 2026 (ENA) — The Egyptian political writer and thinker, Mohamed Saad Khiralla, has accused the Egyptian government of training Sudanese military personnel to use chemical weapons inside Egyptian soil.

He also said Egypt targeted gold miners inside Sudanese territory through Egyptian airstrikes, calling for those responsible to be held accountable.

Recall that the United States imposed and tightened sanctions on Sudan's government after determining that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) used prohibited chemical weapons (reportedly chlorine gas) against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). 

In June 2025, following a U.S State Department determination that the Sudanese government violated the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) by using chemical weapons in 2024, it introduced export restrictions, borrowing limits, and credit lines restrictions starting around June. 

Again, in July 2026, the United States expanded and tightened these measures with a second round of sanctions that entered into force on July 20, 2026. The restrictions further expanded export controls, added financial and aviation-related measures, and mandated U.S opposition to loans or financial assistance for Sudan through international financial institutions.

Speaking to ENA, the Egyptian writer said "Egypt’s authoritarian military regime was training Sudanese officers and soldiers to use chemical weapons against the Sudanese people." 

He urged human rights advocates around the world to document what he described as crimes that are not subject to a statute of limitations and to hold those responsible accountable. 

Khairallah condemned the recent targeting of gold miners by Egyptian strikes, describing the civilians as people struggling to secure their daily livelihoods.

He also stressed that one of the Egyptian strikes took place inside Sudanese territory, approximately 44 to 46 kilometers from the Egyptian border. 

The writer’s remarks follow airstrikes attributed to the Egyptian Air Force that targeted gold miners and Sudanese civilians on June 16 and October 10, 2026, raising questions about Egypt’s role in the strikes, their underlying motives, and their implications for relations between Cairo and Khartoum.

"The Egyptian regime had attempted to justify the strikes by claiming that they occurred inside Egyptian territory and targeted gold miners who had crossed the border," the writer said. 

Khairallah rejected this account, arguing that it contradicted what he said were video recordings documenting the incidents.

He added that claims that the miners had walked long distances to reach Egyptian territory and search for gold raised serious doubts, describing the Egyptian account as “the height of farce and absurdity.”

The writer emphasized that the miners’ nationality did not change the essence of the issue, even if it were assumed that they had come from other African countries. 

He questioned the grounds on which their military targeting inside Sudanese territory could be justified.

The presence of foreign miners, even if that claim were true, did not give Cairo the right to target them inside another country’s territory, Khairallah argued.

He noted that grave violations must not go unpunished or escape legal scrutiny.

The Egyptian writer also accused certain elements within the Egyptian military establishment of seeking to benefit from Sudan’s wealth and resources through ties with Sudanese military actors. 

He added that these alleged activities raised serious questions about the motives behind Egypt’s policy toward Sudan and its respect for Sudanese sovereignty.