In brief
Emergency Lawyers, a Sudanese legal aid group, claims that 72 civilians died in recent air strikes on mining camps in the River Nile state. The killings, carried out by jets that targeted gold prospectors, are blamed on Egyptian forces amid a broader crackdown on illicit activity along its southern frontier. While both countries remain silent, the right‑wing group threatens war‑crime charges, and Sudan’s de‑facto leader has announced an investigation. The incident highlights the fragile security of the region and the economic threat posed by unregulated artisanal mining, which fuels smuggling and insurgent financing.
At least 72 civilians who had been prospecting for gold in a border region of Sudan have been killed in air strikes, a regional rights group says.
Emergency Lawyers, based in Khartoum, said jets struck artisanal miners at a popular gold mining site in Sudan’s River Nile state on Saturday.
Neither the Egyptian government nor Sudan’s de‑facto authorities have commented. Cairo has faced accusations of deadly strikes on gold prospectors in past months as part of a crackdown on illicit activity along its southern border.
Emergency Lawyers said the strikes represented a violation of Sudan’s sovereign territory and a clear case of war crimes. “The deliberate targeting of unarmed civilians violates international humanitarian law and the right to life,” they added. The death toll remains provisional and could rise.
A survivor of the attack told the Paris‑based Sudan Tribune that the assault started around 06:00 local time, with aircraft launching more than five missiles directly at camps, destroying excavations and killing people still inside. The Sudan Tribune also reports that Egyptian forces had used drones and artillery earlier in the year to target mining sites in the same region, an act that fuelled tensions.
Egypt’s border agency announced a sweeping security campaign along the frontier to curb illegal migration, drug smuggling, and unauthorized mining. Meanwhile, Sudan’s de‑facto leader has opened an investigation into the alleged strikes.
Gold-rich areas such as River Nile state lie along porous borders historically used for cross‑border smuggling, and artisanal gold may feed insurgent groups in Sudan’s ongoing civil war. The intrusion of foreign military forces into these zones, coupled with the defiance of local miners, raises questions about jurisdiction, illegal gold markets, and the safety of civilians in one of Africa’s most volatile frontiers.
