Egypt's army says fourth phase of gold-prospecting crackdown starts Saturday

Egypt's army has announced that the fourth phase of its large-scale campaign against illegal gold prospecting in the Eastern Desert will begin this Saturday. At a press conference on Thursday, the military also said it is not targeting civilians.

Two officers were killed during the campaign, according to the military spokesman.

What happened?

Military spokesman Col. Ahmed Othman briefed reporters on "Operation Shield of the South", which has run in three phases so far. It targets illegal gold prospecting, known locally as "dahaba", along the southern border.

He said 151 Egyptians and 540 foreigners have been arrested. Troops also seized 34 weapons and 6,307 rounds of ammunition of various calibres.

One report says the two officers killed were the chief of staff of the southern-region border guard and a battalion operations chief. They died while confronting the prospectors.

What does the army say?

Othman stressed that all operations take place inside Egyptian territory. The armed forces, he said, are protecting the country's borders and resources, not going after civilians.

He said the army is coordinating with the Sudanese side on border security. Border guard patrols and other units are being stepped up so that "criminal elements" do not come back.

He also claimed that illegal gold prospecting harms livestock and farming. The army says it is acting with restraint and within international law, while also saying it is fully ready for combat. He warned people against getting involved in criminal activity.

The spokesman added that the army carried out pre-emptive strikes to cut off weapons and ammunition reaching these groups across the border. The campaign also aims to bring ministries and agencies together to deal with the problem.

What came before?

The campaign began on 1 August, when the army and police moved against prospectors in the Eastern Desert near the southern border. In October, the army said it was continuing a third phase, after warning leaflets were dropped on the groups. That came amid reports of air strikes on Sudanese prospectors.

What's next?

The fourth phase starts on Saturday. The army has not given further details about it.