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Emergency Lawyers, a Khartoum-based rights organization, said jets struck artisanal gold miners at the Jabal Al-Uqaydat site in Sudan’s River Nile state on October 10, killing at least 72 civilians. The group said the attack began around 6 a.m. local time with more than five missiles hitting camps and excavation pits where people were working. Its preliminary toll could increase as verification continues in the remote area, according to the statement.
Survivor Abdelaziz Youssef told AFP that a jet overhead struck five times, leading many to flee into the mountains in terror. Arab News reported that two survivors described chaotic scenes with numerous casualties and limited access to medical care. The Sudan Doctors Network gave a lower count of 13 dead and 28 wounded, Reuters noted in its coverage of the conflicting assessments.
This incident follows a similar airstrike in June on the same site that killed at least 23 miners, with Emergency Lawyers again pointing to Egyptian forces. The rights group has documented prior operations involving drones and artillery against mining locations along the frontier. Such actions, if confirmed as cross-border, would violate international law, according to the monitor.
The strikes took place near the disputed Halaib Triangle, claimed by both nations and known for its gold deposits as well as smuggling activities. Emergency Lawyers stated that the targeting occurred inside Sudanese territory and suggested it reflected efforts to control resources. Previous clashes have seen Egyptian guards burning equipment and dispersing workers, the Sudan Tribune has reported.
Sudan’s civil conflict since 2023 has boosted artisanal gold mining in northern areas, as the metal funds both the army and Rapid Support Forces, Reuters reported. The Sudanese Mineral Resources Company recorded $2.292 billion in gold exports for the first nine months of 2026, with artisanal miners making up a large portion of output despite the war, according to Business Insider Africa. Much of this gold is smuggled into Egypt, heightening border tensions.
In a statement, Emergency Lawyers said, “The deliberate targeting of unarmed civilians violates international humanitarian law and the right to life. These acts may constitute war crimes.” Neither Egypt nor Sudanese authorities had issued comments on the strikes by Sunday, multiple outlets including the BBC and Reuters confirmed. Social media images of bodies among rubble have circulated but remain unverified.
