At least 72 civilians prospecting for gold have been killed in air strikes in Sudan’s River Nile state near the Egyptian border, according to the rights group Emergency Lawyers.
The group said aircraft struck artisanal mining sites and camps on Saturday, destroying excavation pits with workers still inside. It warned that the death toll was provisional and could rise as reports of casualties emerge.
Neither the Egyptian government nor Sudan’s de facto authorities had commented on the reported strikes.
Emergency Lawyers condemned the attacks, saying the targeting of civilian miners violated international law and raised questions about Sudan’s control over its territory.
“The deliberate targeting of unarmed civilians violates international humanitarian law and the right to life,” the group said in a statement on Sunday. “These acts may constitute war crimes.”
The Paris-based Sudan Tribune reported that the number of dead could be higher than the figure given by Emergency Lawyers. It cited a survivor who said many more people had been injured.
Witnesses told the newspaper that the attack began at about 06:00 local time on Saturday, with aircraft firing more than five missiles at mining camps. The strikes reportedly destroyed shelters and excavation pits where people were working.
The latest reported strikes follow earlier allegations that Egyptian forces targeted artisanal gold miners in the same region.
In June, the Sudan Tribune reported claims that Egyptian forces had used drones and artillery against mining sites, killing several people. Other reported incidents involved border guards burning mining equipment and temporary shelters and firing live ammunition to disperse workers.
Days after those allegations, Egypt’s border agency announced a security operation with the military to combat illegal migration, drug smuggling and unauthorised mining along the border.
Sudan’s de facto leader also ordered an investigation into the alleged strikes, which were reported to have killed dozens.
Emergency Lawyers said the latest attack raised concerns about Sudan’s territorial sovereignty and the authorities’ ability to protect civilians in the border region.
Gold has become a major source of tension along the border as Sudan’s civil war drives more people into informal mining.
Artisanal mining involves civilians extracting gold with basic tools, often without official permission or adequate safety measures. The practice has expanded in remote areas, including gold-rich parts of River Nile state.
The region’s porous borders and established smuggling routes have raised concerns that illegally mined gold could be transported across the border and sold through unofficial channels.
In June, Egypt’s border force said it had seized 86 tonnes of gold ore and amateur prospecting equipment.
Illegal gold trading has also raised concerns that proceeds from Sudanese mining could fund armed groups involved in the country’s conflict and undermine Egypt’s legitimate gold market.
The circumstances surrounding Saturday’s reported air strikes remain unclear, and neither government has publicly confirmed responsibility for the attack.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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