Air attack near Sudan-Egypt border kills at least 72 gold miners, rights group says

An air strike hit an artisanal gold mining site near the Sudan-Egypt border, killing or injuring dozens of miners. DW, Al Jazeera and Anadolu all reported the attack.

At least 72 people were killed. DW attributes this figure to Emergency Lawyers, a Sudan-based rights group. Al Jazeera's summary gives the same figure without attribution. Al Jazeera also reported that more than 50 people were injured. Anadolu cited a medical group that it did not name.

According to Emergency Lawyers, as cited by DW, the attack took place on Saturday, 10 October 2026. DW reported that the site was south of the Halayeb triangle, east of the River Nile, in rugged and mountainous terrain. DW said the site's remote location makes independent verification difficult.

DW quoted a survivor who told AFP that thousands of people were working at the site when it was hit. "After the air strike, people scattered. Some people came to Al-Ansary [gold] market, others went in the other direction. That's why no one knows exactly how many were killed," the survivor said.

DW described the attack as the second of its kind this year. According to DW, air strikes on mining sites in the same border area in June were followed by a large-scale Egyptian security operation. Hundreds of people, including foreigners, were arrested and accused of illegal gold mining and smuggling.

Background

According to DW, the Halayeb triangle is claimed by both Egypt and Sudan. It is known for mining, the gold trade, other illicit goods and human trafficking. Sudan's war between the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed more than 200,000 people, DW reported. Egypt backs al-Burhan but considers the war a threat to its security. DW also reported that the RSF has funded its operations partly by smuggling gold from Darfur and Kordofan. According to Chatham House, as cited by DW, as much as 60% of Sudan's unofficial gold exports end up in Egypt.

What is disputed

DW reports multiple air strikes. Al Jazeera and Anadolu report a single strike. The status of the location also differs. DW describes a disputed border area. Emergency Lawyers, as cited by DW, says the site lies within Sudan. Al Jazeera's headline describes a Sudan gold mine near the Egypt border.

What each side says

Emergency Lawyers says the Egyptian air force carried out the strikes. "The repeated attacks on the gold- and mineral-rich border regions reflect a desire by Egyptian authorities to expand and assert control over Sudan's natural resources," the group said, according to DW. No independent confirmation of who carried out the strikes appears in the reports reviewed by Vocemundi.

The Sudan Doctors Network said on Facebook that the toll was expected to rise "due to the severity of some injuries and the difficulties in accessing medical care and essential services in the region," according to DW.

Egypt had not commented on the strikes, according to DW. DW reported that Egypt has previously acknowledged conducting a "large-scale operation" against illegal gold mining within its borders.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include responses from the Sudanese army, the Sudanese government or the RSF. They do not describe the victims' identities or nationalities.

Analysis

The attack touches several sensitive issues at once: a contested border, an informal gold economy and a war in which gold helps finance armed groups. If the attribution to Egypt's air force were independently confirmed, it could affect relations between Cairo and Sudan's army-led authorities, which Egypt backs. If it is not confirmed, questions about responsibility may remain open. The casualty count could also change, as medical groups warn. Much depends on independent access to the remote site, on any official statements from Egypt or Sudan, and on whether the precise location of the strike can be established.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.