At Least 72 Gold Prospectors Reportedly Killed in Egypt-Sudan Border Airstrikes
At least 72 gold prospectors have reportedly been killed in airstrikes targeting mining sites near the Egypt-Sudan border, according to a Sudanese human rights organisation. The attack occurred on Saturday, October 10, 2026, in a remote area known for artisanal gold mining.
The rights group, Emergency Lawyers, said the strikes killed dozens of civilian miners and left others injured. The organisation accused the Egyptian air force of carrying out the attack. However, the allegation has not been independently verified, and Egyptian authorities have not publicly commented on the incident.
The attack has raised fresh concerns about civilian safety, cross-border tensions and the growing importance of gold in Sudan’s ongoing conflict.
Rights Group Reports 72 Deaths
Emergency Lawyers announced on Sunday that at least 72 civilian miners had been killed in the airstrikes. The organisation said the figure was preliminary and that efforts to document and verify the casualties were continuing.
The Sudan Doctors Network reported a lower initial death toll of at least 13 people, with another 28 injured. The medical organisation warned that the number of deaths could rise because some victims had serious injuries and faced difficulties accessing medical treatment.
The difference between the reported figures highlights the challenges of confirming casualties in remote areas affected by violence.
The mining site is located in a rugged border region where transport links and medical facilities are limited. These conditions make it difficult for emergency workers to reach victims and establish the full scale of an attack.
Authorities had not released a comprehensive official casualty assessment as of Sunday.
Survivors Describe Heavy Airstrikes
Survivors said aircraft attacked a gold mining site in a mountainous area on Saturday morning.
According to reports by international news agencies, miner Abdel-Aziz Yousef said an aircraft appeared over the area at around 8 a.m. local time before striking the site several times.
He described people running towards nearby mountains to escape the attack and avoid further strikes.
Another survivor, Sharaf Ali, told Agence France-Presse that thousands of people had been working in the area. He said miners scattered in different directions after the explosions, making it difficult to determine how many people had died.
Emergency Lawyers said the reported deaths involved civilian miners working at the site.
The organisation condemned the attack and called for accountability. It argued that deliberately targeting unarmed civilians would violate international humanitarian law and could constitute a war crime if the necessary legal conditions were established.
However, the circumstances of the attack and the identity of those responsible remain subject to investigation.
Egypt Accused of Carrying Out the Attack
Emergency Lawyers blamed the Egyptian air force for the strikes. Reuters reported that it could not immediately verify the allegation.
The Egyptian military did not immediately comment, while the country’s foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
The reported attack occurred in a sensitive border region where Egypt and Sudan have overlapping territorial claims. The wider area includes the disputed Halayeb Triangle, which both countries claim.
Egypt has previously conducted security operations against people suspected of illegal gold mining and smuggling along its southern border.
In June 2026, Egyptian security forces detained hundreds of people, including foreign nationals, during an operation targeting suspected illegal mining and smuggling activities.
Egyptian authorities have also previously announced operations aimed at preventing illegal migration and criminal activity along the border.
However, those earlier operations do not independently establish responsibility for Saturday’s reported airstrikes.
Gold Plays a Major Role in Sudan’s Conflict
Gold has become an increasingly important source of income during Sudan’s war, which began in April 2023 when fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The conflict has disrupted businesses, displaced millions of people and damaged essential services across the country.
As traditional sources of income have disappeared, artisanal gold mining has attracted workers seeking alternative ways to support themselves and their families.
The industry also faces serious problems involving unsafe working conditions, illegal mining and cross-border smuggling.
A 2024 United Nations Panel of Experts report estimated that more than half of Sudan’s gold production was being smuggled out of the country.
Gold revenues have also been linked to the financing of armed groups operating during the conflict.
These factors have increased the economic and security importance of mining areas near Sudan’s borders.
Attack Raises Concerns About Civilian Protection
The reported deaths have intensified concerns about the protection of civilians working in remote mining communities.
Emergency Lawyers called attention to the dangers facing unarmed miners and urged accountability for those responsible.
Independent verification remains difficult because the area is remote and access to reliable information is limited.
The conflicting casualty figures also mean the final death toll may differ from the initial reports.
For families of the miners, the immediate priorities include locating missing relatives, obtaining medical assistance for survivors and confirming the identities of those killed.
The incident also raises wider questions about how governments can address illegal mining and smuggling without putting civilian lives at risk.
As investigations continue, the responsibility for the airstrikes remains unconfirmed. The reported attack nevertheless highlights the dangers facing gold miners in a region where economic hardship, border disputes and Sudan’s wider conflict intersect.
About the Author
