Egyptian Air Force Accused of Killing 72 Sudanese Miners
Emergency Lawyers reports that Egyptian air strikes killed at least 72 artisanal gold miners in a disputed border region of Sudan on October 10.
Air strikes targeted artisanal gold miners in a disputed border region between Sudan and Egypt on Saturday, October 10, 2026. The attacks hit the Al-Uqaydat gold mine near the Al-Ansari trading market in Sudan's River Nile state, south of the Halayeb triangle.
Emergency Lawyers, a Sudan-based rights group, reported that at least 72 workers were killed and accused the Egyptian air force of carrying out the strikes to assert control over Sudan's natural resources. The organization asserted that such a cross-border strike would violate international law. The Sudan Doctors Network warned that the death toll is expected to rise due to severe injuries and limited medical access, noting that at least 20 injured workers were taken to the Al-Ansari market while hundreds of others fled into nearby mountains without supplies.
The Egyptian military and foreign ministry have not officially commented on the allegations, though Egypt has previously conducted security operations in the region against illegal mining and smuggling. The incident occurs amid a broader conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, where gold mining serves as a critical cash source for both factions. This event follows a separate drone strike on Friday in Sudan's Blue Nile state that killed approximately 31 people in a displacement camp, according to the United Nations.
