Deadly Airstrikes Hit Sudan-Egypt Gold-Mining Border

At least 72 civilians prospecting for gold in Sudan’s River Nile state were killed in air strikes on Saturday, according to Emergency Lawyers, a rights group based in Khartoum. The group said aircraft attacked artisanal miners at popular mining sites near the Egyptian border. Neither Egypt’s government nor Sudan’s de facto authorities had commented at the time of the report. Emergency Lawyers said the reported targeting of unarmed civilians violated international humanitarian law and the right to life, and could constitute war crimes. It described its casualty count as provisional. Sudan Tribune, citing a survivor, reported that the death toll might be higher and that many more people were injured. It also relayed eyewitness accounts that aircraft fired more than five missiles at miners’ camps around 06:00 local time, destroying camps and excavation pits with people inside. The report places the strikes amid earlier allegations of Egyptian attacks on mining sites in the region. Sudan Tribune reported in June that Egyptian forces had used drones and artillery against artisanal miners, while border guards had previously been accused of burning equipment and shelters and using live ammunition to disperse workers. Egypt’s border agency later announced a security campaign against illegal migration, drug smuggling and illegal mining. Sudan’s de facto leader also announced an investigation into the earlier alleged strikes. Gold and informal mining are central to tensions along the border. Sudan’s civil war has contributed to a rise in artisanal mining, a risky activity often carried out by civilians using basic tools without official permission, especially in remote border areas. River Nile state’s gold-rich areas lie along porous borders and historic smuggling routes. Egypt said in June that its border force had seized 86 tonnes of gold ore and amateur prospecting equipment. Artisanal mining also reportedly continues in Sudan’s conflict zones, and smuggled gold may fund armed insurgent groups, raising concern that illicit Sudanese gold could undermine Egypt’s legitimate gold market.

At least 72 artisanal gold miners were killed in air strikes on Saturday in a remote, disputed border region claimed by Sudan and Egypt, according to Sudan-based human rights organization Emergency Lawyers. The group said the attack took place in rugged territory south of the Halayeb triangle and accused the Egyptian air force of carrying it out. Egypt had not commented at the time of publication, and the remote location made independent verification difficult. Egypt has previously acknowledged conducting a large operation against illegal gold mining within its own borders. The Sudan Doctors Network warned that the death toll could rise because some victims were severely injured and medical care and essential services were difficult to reach. A survivor told AFP that thousands of people had been working at the site. After the strikes, miners scattered in different directions, making it hard to establish how many people had died. The attack is the second of its kind in the area this year. The Halayeb triangle is known for gold mining and trade, as well as other illicit activity, including human trafficking. Emergency Lawyers said repeated attacks on resource-rich border areas reflected Egyptian authorities’ desire to expand control over Sudan’s natural resources; this allegation was not independently established in the article. The strikes come amid Sudan’s civil war between the military led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has killed more than 200,000 people and caused a severe humanitarian crisis, while driving displacement and cross-border movement into Egypt. Egypt supports Sudan’s army chief but regards the war near its border as a security threat. The RSF has financed its operations partly through gold smuggling from Darfur and Kordofan. Chatham House estimates that up to 60% of unofficial Sudanese gold exports go to Egypt. Earlier air strikes on mining sites in the same area in June were followed by a major Egyptian security operation in which hundreds of people were arrested on suspicion of illegal mining and smuggling.

At least 13 artisanal gold miners were killed and 28 injured when an unidentified aircraft struck a mine on Saturday in the mountainous Border Triangle Area, where Sudan, Egypt and Libya meet, according to the Sudan Doctors Network. The group said on Sunday that several of the injured were in serious condition and warned the death toll could rise. Limited access to health facilities may hinder treatment. The identity of whoever carried out the strike has not been established. Abdel-Aziz Yousef, a survivor who spoke to The Associated Press, said the aircraft hit the mine on Saturday morning. He reported that people were killed or wounded and that others fled, fearing further attacks. The Sudan Doctors Network said Egyptian authorities had repeatedly warned miners to leave the area, which is reportedly part of Egypt. The report places the incident in the context of gold mining and smuggling linked to Sudan’s ongoing war. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been accused of smuggling gold from Darfur and Kordofan to fund their operations. A 2024 United Nations Panel of Experts report estimated that more than half of the gold mined in Sudan was smuggled out of the country. The border region has also seen Egyptian security operations targeting illegal mining and smuggling. In June, Egyptian security forces detained hundreds of people, including foreign nationals, along the Sudanese border over alleged involvement in those activities. The article does not identify the aircraft or attribute the airstrike to any party.