The spokesman of the Egyptian army, Ahmed Atman, said that the armed forces arrested 691 people, including 151 Egyptians and 540 foreigners, during a huge campaign to confront illegal gold mining in the Eastern Desert. The spokesman noted at a press conference today, Thursday, to announce the results of the operation launched by the Egyptian army in recent months, that no civilians were targeted during the campaign, and said that the armed forces observe "the highest levels of restraint and the art of international law". Reports last month said dozens were killed after an airstrike targeted gold prospectors in the Eastern Desert. The military spokesman said at the time that the implementation of the third phase of the campaign targeting illegal gold prospecting came after warning leaflets were dropped about what he described as "criminal elements". The military spokesman said at today's press conference that the armed forces carried out a number of preemptive strikes to cut off the supply of weapons and ammunition that reached "criminal elements" across the border, adding that the campaign was intended to "unify the efforts of the relevant ministries and agencies and impose state sovereignty on its entire territory."

The spokesman of the Egyptian army, Ahmed Atman, said that the armed forces arrested 691 people, including 151 Egyptians and 540 foreigners, during a huge campaign to confront illegal gold mining in the Eastern Desert. The spokesman noted at a press conference today, Thursday, to announce the results of the operation launched by the Egyptian army in recent months, that no civilians were targeted during the campaign, and said that the armed forces observe "the highest levels of restraint and the art of international law". Reports last month said dozens were killed after an airstrike targeted gold prospectors in the Eastern Desert. The military spokesman said at the time that the implementation of the third phase of the campaign targeting illegal gold prospecting came after warning leaflets were dropped about what he described as "criminal elements". The military spokesman said at today's press conference that the armed forces carried out a number of preemptive strikes to cut off the supply of weapons and ammunition that reached "criminal elements" across the border, adding that the campaign was intended to "unify the efforts of the relevant ministries and agencies and impose state sovereignty on its entire territory."