Egyptian Airstrikes on Sudan-Egypt Border Gold Mine Kill 72 Miners, Rights Group Reports

At least 72 workers were killed by Egyptian airstrikes on a gold mine along the Sudan-Egypt border, according to a Sudanese rights group on Sunday, as survivors described chaotic scenes in the mountainous region.

The Emergency Lawyers organization accused the Egyptian air force of conducting the strike. AFP could not independently verify the claim, and Egypt has not issued an official statement.

The attack on Saturday marked the second such incident this year on Jabal al-Uqaydat, where Egyptian airstrikes reportedly killed 23 workers in an informal gold mining site in June.

The Egyptian army did not claim responsibility for the strikes but stated at the time it had conducted a “large-scale operation” against illegal gold mining within its territory.

The border between Sudan and Egypt is disputed, with both countries claiming the resource-rich Halayeb triangle. Egypt is closely aligned with Sudan’s military government, which is engaged in conflict with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The attack on Saturday “resulted in the deaths of 72 civilian miners, according to preliminary reports, while efforts to document and verify the casualty count are ongoing,” the Emergency Lawyers said, an organization that monitors atrocities in Sudan’s war.

Two survivors recounted their escape to AFP. Abdelaziz Youssef said a jet appeared overhead at around 8:00 a.m. (0600 GMT) on Saturday and struck the site five times, killing many. “We ran up the mountain terrified of another strike,” he said.

Sharaf Ali, another survivor, described thousands of workers present at the remote site when it was hit. “After the airstrike, people scattered—some went to Al-Ansary market, others moved in different directions, which is why no one knows the exact death toll,” he explained from the gold market near the Halayeb triangle.

Both survivors noted seeing bodies on the ground during their escape, with many more believed trapped under debris in an area far from urban centers.

Gold Rush

Since April 2023, the conflict in Sudan has claimed over 200,000 lives and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, pushing many into dangerous gold mining operations that fund both sides of the war.

The rugged mountainous region, rich in minerals, extends for hundreds of kilometers and includes the disputed Halayeb triangle.

The Emergency Lawyers asserted the attack occurred within Sudanese territory.

“Repeated strikes on border regions rich in gold and minerals reflect Egyptian authorities’ intent to expand control over Sudan’s natural resources,” the group stated.

The Egyptian military claimed its June operation was conducted “within Egyptian territory” and announced the detention of 223 individuals, including 136 foreigners, as part of a campaign against illegal gold mining and arms smuggling.

Egypt views the 1,200-kilometer Sudan-Egypt-Libya border—home to lucrative illegal trade routes and human trafficking—as a security threat. The porous frontier has long served as a conduit for gold, contraband, and people, prompting Egypt to deploy mass deportations to curb such activities.

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