Air strikes kill dozens of gold miners on Sudan-Egypt border

Air strikes kill dozens of gold miners on Sudan-Egypt border

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Air strikes have killed at least 72 people in a disputed border area between Sudan and Egypt, according to a Sudan-based rights group. The attack targeted artisanal gold miners in a remote area known for illegal gold mining. The Sudan-based Emergency Lawyers said the attack occurred on Saturday in rugged and mountainous territory that it said lies within Sudan. The Halayeb triangle, which is claimed by both Egypt and Sudan, is known for mining and the gold trade, along with other illicit goods and human trafficking.

The rights group accused the Egyptian air force of carrying out the strikes. "The repeated attacks on the gold- and mineral-rich border regions reflect a desire by Egyptian authorities to expand and assert control over Sudan's natural resources," it claimed. Egypt has yet to comment on the strikes, but has previously admitted conducting a "large-scale operation" against illegal gold mining within its borders.

Independent verification remains difficult because of the remote location. Sudan Doctors Network warned on Facebook of an expected increase in the number of casualties "due to the severity of some injuries and the difficulties in accessing medical care and essential services in the region."

The Sudan Tribune reported claims in June that Egyptian forces had used drones and artillery to target artisanal mining sites in the same region, killing several, after sporadic incidents of Egyptian border guards of burning equipment, torching temporary shelters, and firing live ammunition to disperse mine workers.

The Sudan Tribune also reported that the death toll could far exceed the number reported by Emergency Lawyers, citing a survivor of Saturday's attack who said many more people had been injured. Eyewitnesses said the attack began around 06:00 local time (04:00 GMT), with the aircraft firing more than five missiles directly at the miners' camps, destroying them and excavation pits with people still inside.

The Sudanese civil war between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's military junta and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed more than 200,000 people and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis. Sudan's ongoing civil war has led to a surge in artisanal mining - an often risky practice conducted by civilians with rudimentary tools and without official permission - particularly in remote areas near its borders.

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