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Egypt rejects UN call to investigate killing of Sudanese nationals

November 25, 2015 at 10:56 am

The Egyptian foreign ministry has rejected a call by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to investigate the killing and injury of Sudanese migrants in the Sinai Peninsula near the border with Israel.

A ministry spokesman, Ahmed Abu Zeid, expressed regrets about Ban’s remarks, accusing the UN chief of “jumping to issue statements and criticism without relying on accurate information or viewing statements issued by the Egyptian government.” Abu Zeid called on UN officials to read the armed forces’ report which clarified “beyond reasonable doubt” that the Egyptian border guards were dealing with “illegal infiltrators” when they killed five Sudanese men and wounded six others; a further five were taken into custody.

The border guards, he insisted, fired warning shots which were not heeded. “The migrants initiated the firefight by shooting at Egyptian security forces,” he added. One Egyptian soldier was wounded in the incident.

The Secretary General’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, told a press briefing on Monday that Ban Ki- moon “remains deeply troubled” by reports about the killings.