Sudan Gold Mine Collapse Kills at Least 67 Amid Ongoing War

At least 67 people have died following a gold mine collapse in a remote area of Sudan, with more individuals still missing as rescue efforts continue. The incident occurred at the al-Zara gold mine in Nuhud, West Kordofan province, a region controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), one of the factions involved in the country's devastating war.

The Sudan Doctors Network, a medical group monitoring the conflict, reported the mounting death toll and stated that the mine lacked basic safety and protective measures. Another official cited by The Associated Press reported 82 bodies recovered as of Wednesday, with dozens still unaccounted for.

Survivors described the collapse as massive and indicated a severe lack of heavy machinery to clear the debris, hindering rescue operations. The mine, characterized by observers as an informal site employing unregulated workers, extends across a kilometer of fragile, sandy soil. The Kordofan Observatory monitoring group estimated at least 70 miners were killed or missing.

Deadly mine collapses are not uncommon in Sudan, a major gold producer where safety standards are often not enforced. Previous incidents include a 2023 collapse that killed 14 miners and another in 2021 where 38 lives were lost.

The al-Zara mine is one of thousands of small-scale, informal mining operations across Sudan. The nation has been engulfed in a conflict that began in April 2023 between the RSF and the Sudanese military, which has resulted in widespread destruction and displacement. Experts commissioned by the United Nations have noted that large quantities of gold are smuggled out of the country to finance the RSF, which controls key gold-producing regions.