At least 72 gold prospectors killed in air strikes on Sudan-Egypt border, rights group reports

At least 72 civilians prospecting for gold in a border region of Sudan have been killed in air strikes, according to a regional rights group. Emergency Lawyers, based in Khartoum, reported that jets targeted artisanal miners at popular gold mining sites in Sudan's River Nile state on Saturday. Neither the Egyptian government nor the de facto Sudanese authorities have commented on the incident. Cairo has faced previous accusations regarding deadly strikes on gold prospectors as part of a crackdown on illicit activities along its southern border. Emergency Lawyers stated that the earlier alleged attacks not only violated Sudan's sovereign territory but also demonstrated the government's lack of control over the region. The group emphasized that the deliberate targeting of unarmed civilians violates international humanitarian law and the right to life, suggesting that these acts may constitute war crimes. The reported death toll is provisional and may increase. The Paris-based Sudan Tribune indicated that the death toll could be higher than reported by Emergency Lawyers, citing a survivor who mentioned many injuries. Eyewitnesses reported that the attack began around 06:00 local time (04:00 GMT), with aircraft firing more than five missiles directly at the miners' camps, destroying them and excavation pits with people still inside. The Sudan Tribune also reported claims from June that Egyptian forces had used drones and artillery to target artisanal mining sites in the same region, resulting in several deaths, following incidents where Egyptian border guards burned equipment, torched temporary shelters, and fired live ammunition to disperse mine workers. Shortly after, Egypt's border agency announced a security campaign along the border to combat illegal migration, drug smuggling, and illegal mining. Concurrently, Sudan's de facto leader announced an investigation into the alleged strikes that reportedly killed dozens. Gold is central to the border tensions, as Sudan's ongoing civil war has led to an increase in artisanal mining, often conducted by civilians with rudimentary tools and without official permission, particularly in remote border areas. Gold-rich regions like River Nile state are situated along porous borders historically linked to cross-border smuggling routes, with artisanally mined gold potentially contributing to these channels. Egypt's border force reported in June that it had seized 86 tonnes of gold ore along with amateur prospecting equipment. Artisanal mining has also continued in Sudan's conflict zones, and smuggled gold may provide income for armed insurgent groups, raising concerns about illicit Sudanese gold undermining the legitimate Egyptian gold market.