At least 72 workers were killed in air strikes targeting artisanal gold miners in a remote, disputed region along the Sudan-Egypt border, a human rights organization reported Sunday. The incident marks the second attack of its kind this year in the area south of the contested Halayeb triangle.
Emergency Lawyers, a Sudan-based legal and human rights advocacy group, stated that the strikes occurred on Saturday in rugged, mountainous terrain they identified as belonging to Sudan. The group accused the Egyptian air force of carrying out the attack and claimed that the repeated assaults reflect an intent by Cairo to expand its control over Sudan’s natural resources.
Egypt has not yet commented on the latest strikes. However, it has previously acknowledged conducting large-scale operations against illegal gold mining within its borders. Independent verification of the casualties remains challenging due to the area’s isolation.
The Sudan Doctors Network issued a warning on Facebook that the death toll is expected to rise due to the severity of injuries and the difficulty in accessing medical care and essential services in the region. One survivor told the AFP news agency that thousands of people were working at the site when it was hit, causing widespread scattering that has made exact casualty counts difficult to determine.
The Halayeb triangle, claimed by both nations, is known for gold mining, the illicit trade of minerals, and human trafficking. This event follows a similar strike in June on mining sites in the same border area, which was accompanied by a major Egyptian security operation resulting in hundreds of arrests for illegal mining and smuggling.
The attack unfolds against the backdrop of a three-and-a-half-year civil war in Sudan between the military junta led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has killed more than 200,000 people and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis. While Egypt backs al-Burhan, it views the war as a direct security threat.
According to the UK-based think tank Chatham House, the RSF has funded its operations by smuggling an estimated 60% of Sudan’s unofficial gold exports into Egypt. A UN report also indicates that half of the gold mined in Sudan is smuggled out of the country, highlighting the significant role the resource plays in the region’s illicit economy.
Artisanal miners are the most vulnerable people on earth. No unions, no protection, just a bomb from the sky.
Another strike in the same area? This is the second time this year. Something has to give soon.
Hard to verify anything in this region. With the Sudan civil war raging, how do we know these numbers aren’t inflated?
The gold smuggling figures are shocking. Sixty percent of exports? This isn’t just about borders, it’s about control.
Egypt hasn’t even commented yet. Typical diplomatic silence while bodies are still being dug out.
Seventy-two lives lost in a remote border dispute is devastating. The human cost here is staggering.