At least 13 miners have been killed and 28 injured in an airstrike on a gold mine in the border region between Sudan, Egypt and Libya. The data comes from the Sudanese Doctors Network, which monitors victims of the conflict in Sudan. The human rights group “Lawyers for Emergencies“ reported a significantly higher death toll — at least 72 civilian miners killed. The organization specified that the number is preliminary and is still being verified.
Al Jazeera reported that according to human rights groups, the number of injured is more than 50. The discrepancy in the data is explained by the remoteness of the area, the lack of medical teams and the chaos after the attack. There is no independent confirmation of the highest death toll.
Witnesses describe five strikes, camps destroyed
The attack took place on the morning of October 10 in an area known as the Border Triangle Zone. Local miners identified the Al-Uqaidat mine, near the Al-Ansari market. One said warplanes had carried out at least five strikes. At least 20 wounded people were taken to the market for emergency treatment, while hundreds fled into the desolate mountain ranges without water or supplies. "We fled up the mountain, afraid of another strike," miner Abdelaziz Youssef told AFP.
Witnesses saw bodies at the scene and said some people may have been buried. The strikes destroyed mining camps, but no final assessment of the damage has been published. The Sudanese news website “Sudan Tribune“ said that the footage from the scene had not been independently verified.
Egypt blamed, but responsibility not confirmed
“Emergency Lawyers“ blamed the Egyptian air force and said the attack took place on Sudanese territory. Egypt has not claimed responsibility and has not made an official comment on the accusation. It is not known what aircraft was used. The location is part of a disputed border area claimed by Sudan and Egypt.
In June, the Egyptian military announced a “large-scale operation“ against illegal gold mining, smuggling and illegal border crossings. At that time, 223 people were detained, including 136 foreigners. In the same border area in June, casualties among Sudanese miners were also reported.
Gold mining is one of the few sources of income for millions of Sudanese since the war began in April 2023. According to a report by a UN expert group cited by the Associated Press, more than half of the gold mined in Sudan has been smuggled out. It has not yet been announced when there will be a final death toll or an independent investigation into the airstrike.
Sources: apnews.com, arabnews.com, sudantribune.com