A Sudanese rights group, Emergency Lawyers, reported that at least 72 workers were killed by airstrikes on a gold mine on the Sudan-Egypt border. The group accused the Egyptian air force of carrying out the attack, which occurred on Saturday. Survivors described scenes of chaos in the mountainous region, with many bodies left on the ground and feared trapped under rubble.
This is the second attack this year on Jabal al-Uqaydat, a site of informal gold mining. In June, airstrikes reportedly by Egypt killed 23 workers. The Egyptian army did not claim the strikes but said it had conducted a "large-scale operation" against illegal gold mining within its borders. The border between Sudan and Egypt is disputed, with both countries claiming the resource-rich Halayeb triangle.
According to Emergency Lawyers, the attack on Saturday resulted in the deaths of 72 civilian miners, with efforts to document and verify the casualty toll ongoing. Two survivors, Abdelaziz Youssef and Sharaf Ali, described their harrowing escape from the mine. Youssef said a jet appeared overhead at around 8:00 am on Saturday and "struck five times, many people were killed".
The survivors reported that thousands of people were working at the remote site when it was hit. Ali said that after the airstrike, people scattered, and some came to Al-Ansary market, while others went in the opposite direction, making it difficult to determine the exact number of casualties. Both survivors saw bodies on the ground as they fled.
The gold rush in the region has been fueled by the conflict in Sudan, which has killed over 200,000 people and created a humanitarian crisis since April 2023. Many have been pushed into the dangerous gold mining industry, which fuels both sides' war efforts. The rugged mountainous area is home to bountiful mineral deposits and stretches for hundreds of kilometers.
Emergency Lawyers said the attack occurred within Sudanese territory and that 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. The Egyptian army in June said it carried out its operation "within Egyptian territory" and detained 223 people, including 136 foreign nationals.
The porous border between Sudan and Egypt has long been a conduit for gold, illicit trade, and human trafficking. Egypt has tried to stem this, including through mass deportations. Despite backing Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Egypt considers the war at its border a major threat to its security.
Key points
- At least 72 gold miners killed in airstrikes on Egypt-Sudan border
- Second attack on Jabal al-Uqaydat in 2023
- Disputed border region has seen increased gold mining and trafficking
