An unidentified airstrike on an artisanal gold mine in the remote Border Triangle Area between Sudan, Egypt and Libya killed at least 13 miners and wounded 28 others on Saturday morning, according to the Sudan Doctors Network, with a Sudanese rights group putting the death toll far higher at 72 and accusing the Egyptian air force of carrying out the attack.
The strike hit the mine at Jabal al-Uqaydat in mountainous terrain where thousands of artisanal miners dig and pan for gold beyond the reach of any real authority. It is the second airstrike on the site this year: an earlier attack in June killed 23 workers, also reportedly by Egypt, which never claimed that strike but said at the time it had conducted a "large-scale operation" against illegal gold mining inside its borders.
Conflicting tolls, competing accounts
The Sudan Doctors Network, which tracks casualties in Sudan's war, said the toll is likely to rise because many of the wounded are in serious condition and the remote site has almost no access to hospitals. The Emergency Lawyers rights group, which documents atrocities in the conflict, reported 72 civilian miners dead "according to preliminary information", while verification continues.
Both survivors who spoke to AFP described a jet appearing overhead at around 8:00am on Saturday. Miner Abdel-Aziz Youssef said the aircraft "struck five times, many people were killed", adding that he fled up the mountain terrified of another strike. Fellow miner Sharaf Ali said thousands were working at the remote site when it was hit, and bodies were scattered on the ground as people fled in all directions — which is why, he said, no one can yet say exactly how many died.
An Egyptian military source told the Spanish news agency EFE that the air force bombed a group that had crossed the border into Egypt after miners were repeatedly warned they would be attacked if they pushed into Egyptian territory. Egypt has issued no official comment. The identity of those behind the strike remains formally unconfirmed.
Gold at the heart of Sudan's war
The strike underlines how gold has become inseparable from Sudan's devastating war. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are accused of smuggling thousands of tonnes of gold out of the Darfur and Kordofan regions to finance their fight against Sudan's army, of which Egypt is a key ally. A 2024 UN Panel of Experts report estimated that more than half of all gold mined in Sudan is smuggled out of the country.
Egypt has been hardening its stance against illegal mining and smuggling along the frontier. In June, Egyptian security forces detained hundreds of people, including foreign nationals, on the border with Sudan over alleged involvement in illegal gold mining and smuggling. The border itself is disputed — both countries claim the resource-rich Halayeb Triangle — and the miners, according to the doctors' network, had been warned repeatedly by Egyptian authorities to evacuate the area, which Cairo regards as part of Egypt.
The episode echoes the wider pattern of the conflict's violence against civilians, including the drone strike that killed 30 people in Blue Nile, and comes as the UN Human Rights Council has pressed for action on drone strikes and a ceasefire in Sudan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the gold mine on the Sudan-Egypt border?
An airstrike on Saturday morning hit an artisanal gold mine at Jabal al-Uqaydat in the Border Triangle Area where Sudan, Egypt and Libya meet. The Sudan Doctors Network reported at least 13 dead and 28 wounded; a rights group, Emergency Lawyers, reported 72 dead, though that figure is preliminary.
Who carried out the strike?
It remains unconfirmed. Emergency Lawyers accused the Egyptian air force; an Egyptian military source told EFE the air force bombed people who crossed into Egypt after warnings. Egypt has not issued an official statement.
Why is gold so contested in Sudan?
Gold is a major funding source for the war. The RSF is accused of smuggling vast quantities of gold from Darfur and Kordofan to fund its operations, while Egypt — an ally of Sudan's army — has been cracking down on illegal cross-border mining.
Has the site been hit before?
Yes. An airstrike in June killed 23 workers at the same informal mining site, reportedly also by Egypt, which said it had conducted a "large-scale operation" against illegal gold mining within its borders but never claimed the strike itself.
