At least 13 artisanal gold miners were killed and 28 others injured in an airstrike in the border area between Sudan, Egypt and Libya on Saturday, the Sudan Doctors Network said on Sunday. The identity of those behind the strike remains unclear.The strike hit a gold mine in the mountainous Border Triangle Area, where artisanal and small-scale gold mining is widespread. The medical group warned that the death toll could rise as several injured miners are in serious condition and access to healthcare facilities is limited.Abdel-Aziz Yousef, a survivor, told The Associated Press that an unidentified aircraft struck the mine on Saturday morning. Many people were killed or wounded, while others fled the area fearing further attacks.The Sudan Doctors Network said the miners had repeatedly been warned by Egyptian authorities to evacuate the area, which is reportedly part of Egypt.
Gold mining and smuggling fuel Sudan’s war
Gold has played a major role in Sudan’s ongoing conflict, with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) accused of smuggling large quantities of the precious metal from the Darfur and Kordofan regions to finance their operations.More than 50% of the gold mined in Sudan was smuggled out of the country, according to a 2024 report by a United Nations Panel of Experts.The border region has also been the focus of Egyptian security operations against illegal mining and smuggling. In June, Egyptian security forces detained hundreds of people, including foreign nationals, along the border with Sudan over alleged involvement in illegal gold mining and smuggling.
