At least 72 workers were killed in air strikes on a gold mine near the Sudan-Egypt border, according to a Sudanese rights group on Sunday. Survivors described chaotic scenes in the mountainous region following the attack.
The Emergency Lawyers organisation accused the Egyptian air force of launching the strikes, but AFP has not been able to confirm this independently, and Egypt has not commented officially.
This incident on Saturday marks the second attack this year on the Jabal al-Uqaydat area. Previously, in June, air strikes—also reportedly by Egypt—resulted in the deaths of 23 workers at the same informal mining site. While the Egyptian army did not claim responsibility for the recent strikes, it had previously stated it was conducting a “large-scale operation” against illegal gold mining within its borders.
The border area is disputed, with both Sudan and Egypt claiming ownership of the resource-rich Halayeb triangle. Egypt remains a key ally for Sudan’s army amidst their conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The Emergency Lawyers organisation stated the recent attack resulted in 72 civilian miners’ deaths, with ongoing efforts to verify the total number of casualties. Two miners recounted their narrow escape, with Abdelaziz Youssef reporting that a jet appeared overhead around 8 am and struck multiple times. He added, “We ran up the mountain terrified of another strike.”
Another survivor, Sharaf Ali, noted that the site was crowded with thousands of workers when the air strike occurred. After the bombing, people scattered, complicating efforts to determine the number of casualties. Both men observed bodies as they fled and many more are feared trapped beneath debris.
Since April 2023, ongoing conflict in Sudan has led to over 200,000 deaths and has driven many into the hazardous gold mining industry, which supports both sides in the conflict. The region is rich in minerals and spans hundreds of kilometres, including the disputed Halayeb triangle.
The Emergency Lawyers claimed the attack occurred in Sudanese territory and suggested that the repeated strikes indicate a desire from Egyptian authorities to exert control over Sudan’s natural resources.
In June, the Egyptian army reported detaining 223 individuals, including 136 foreign nationals, amid a campaign against illegal mining and arms smuggling. Despite its support for Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Egypt views the conflict along its 1,200-kilometre border with Sudan as a significant security threat. The porous border has long served as a route for gold smuggling and human trafficking, prompting efforts by Egypt to manage this through mass deportations.
