Rights Group Reports Dozens Killed in Sudan Gold Mine Airstrikes

An air strike killed at least 72 artisanal gold prospectors in Sudan's River Nile state on Saturday, according to a statement from Emergency Lawyers, a regional rights group.

The group, based in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, said jets targeted the miners at a popular gold mining site. The death toll is provisional and could rise, Emergency Lawyers added.

Neither the Egyptian government nor the de facto Sudanese authorities have commented on the incident. Cairo has previously been accused of conducting deadly strikes on gold prospectors as part of a crackdown on illicit activity along its southern border. Emergency Lawyers stated that the alleged attacks violate Sudan's sovereign territory and indicate a lack of control over the region by the Sudanese government.

"The deliberate targeting of unarmed civilians violates international humanitarian law and the right to life," the group said in its statement on Sunday. "These acts may constitute war crimes."

The Paris-based Sudan Tribune reported that a survivor of the attack indicated the death toll could be significantly higher, with many more people injured. Eyewitnesses told the newspaper that the attack began around 6 a.m. local time, with aircraft firing multiple missiles directly at the miners' camps.

In June, the Sudan Tribune reported claims that Egyptian forces used drones and artillery to target artisanal mining sites in the same region, resulting in several deaths. These reports followed incidents where Egyptian border guards allegedly burned equipment, destroyed temporary shelters, and fired live ammunition at mine workers.

Following these reports, Egypt's border agency announced a security campaign along the border involving the military to prevent illegal migration, drug smuggling, and illegal mining. Around the same time, Sudan's de facto leader announced an investigation into alleged strikes that reportedly killed dozens.

Gold mining is a significant factor in border tensions between the two countries. Sudan's ongoing civil war has led to an increase in artisanal mining, a risky practice often conducted without official permission, particularly in remote border areas. These gold-rich regions, like those in River Nile state, are located along porous borders historically used for smuggling routes, and artisanally mined gold can enter these channels.

In June, Egypt's border force reported seizing 86 tons of gold ore and amateur prospecting equipment. The continuation of artisanal mining in Sudan's conflict zones also raises concerns that smuggled gold could provide a source of income for armed insurgent groups, potentially undermining Egypt's legitimate gold market.