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At least 72 civilian gold mine workers have been killed in an airstrike near the Egypt-Sudan border, according to a Sudanese human rights organisation.
Emergency Lawyers, a rights group based in Khartoum, said the attack took place on Saturday, October 10, near a popular gold mine in Sudan’s River Nile State.
A warplane reportedly fired more than five missiles at around 6am at a camp housing mine workers. The strikes caused workers’ accommodation and mining pits to collapse, killing dozens and injuring many others.
Citing a survivor, Sudan Tribune reported that the actual death toll could be significantly higher, with many people seriously injured.
Neither the Egyptian government nor Sudanese authorities have issued an official statement on the attack.
Egypt has previously faced allegations of carrying out deadly strikes against gold prospectors near the border as part of efforts to curb illegal activities. Cairo says its security operations aim to prevent illegal migration, drug smuggling and unauthorised mining along the border.
Emergency Lawyers condemned the attack, describing it as a grave violation of international humanitarian law that could constitute a war crime. The group also said the incident underscored the lack of government control over parts of Sudan.
Sudan’s ongoing civil war has pushed people living near border areas into dangerous and unauthorised gold mining to earn a living.
The gold-rich River Nile State is located in a region historically associated with smuggling. Illegally mined gold can be transported across borders, while proceeds from the trade reportedly provide a significant source of income for armed groups operating in conflict zones.
The flow of illicit Sudanese gold into Egypt has also raised concerns about its impact on the country’s legal gold trade.
In June, Egyptian border guards seized 86 tonnes of gold ore and mining equipment.
Source : Al Jazeera