Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of an airstrike on Sudanese artisanal gold miners near the Egyptian border which left at least 70 people dead on 10 October; and whether they have identified which nation's air force was responsible for the attack.

We are aware of the reports the Noble Lord raises. We are deeply concerned about the reports of a large number of civilian casualties. We are engaging countries in the region to establish further facts about the incident, and stressing the importance of protecting civilians and avoiding actions which create further instability.