Airstrike on Sudan Border Gold Mine Results in Multiple Casualties
Reference News Network reported on October 14 According to AFP on October 11, a Sudanese non-governmental organization stated on the 11th that a gold mine near the Sudan-Egypt border was hit by an airstrike, resulting in at least 72 miners' deaths.
The Sudanese NGO "Emergency Lawyers," which documents war atrocities, claimed that the attack occurred on the 10th and was carried out by the Egyptian Air Force, but did not provide any evidence. AFP was unable to independently verify this claim, and there has been no response from Egypt.
In June of this year, this artisanal gold mine was also attacked, resulting in the deaths of 23 miners, with the airstrike similarly attributed to Egypt. The Egyptian military has not acknowledged conducting these airstrikes but stated that it had carried out a "large-scale operation" against illegal mining activities within its territory.
There are territorial disputes between Sudan and Egypt, with both countries claiming sovereignty over the mineral-rich Halayeb Triangle. Additionally, the Cairo authorities are key allies of the Sudanese Armed Forces, which are currently engaged in combat with the Rapid Support Forces, a Sudanese paramilitary group.
The "Emergency Lawyers" organization stated that preliminary statistics indicate that "the attack carried out by Egyptian military aircraft on the 10th resulted in the deaths of 72 civilian miners."
Two survivors earlier confirmed to AFP that the airstrike caused "a large number of casualties," but due to the chaotic situation on the ground, they were unable to provide an exact number of fatalities.
Survivor Yusuf stated that at 8 a.m. local time on the 10th, an aircraft began circling over the artisanal gold mine near the Red Sea and subsequently "carried out five strikes."
Another survivor, Ali, indicated that there were thousands of people working at the remote mine when it was attacked.
Since the outbreak of conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023, both sides have been vying for control of national resources, particularly the multi-billion dollar gold trade. (Translated by Shu Meng)
An airstrike by the Egyptian Air Force on October 10, 2023, killed at least 72 miners near the Sudan-Egypt border. The attack was reported by a Sudanese NGO, which stated that survivors confirmed multiple strikes occurred at the gold mine. This incident follows a similar attack in June that resulted in 23 deaths.
- At least 72 miners killed in an airstrike on October 10, 2023.
- The airstrike was attributed to the Egyptian Air Force by a Sudanese NGO.
- Survivors confirmed multiple strikes and significant casualties.
- The incident occurred near the Sudan-Egypt border in a gold mining area.
- This follows a previous attack in June that also resulted in fatalities.