At least 72 workers were reportedly killed in a series of air strikes targeting artisanal gold miners in a remote and disputed border area between Sudan and Egypt. According to a Sudan-based human rights and legal advocacy organization, the deadly attack occurred south of the isolated Halayeb triangle, east of the River Nile, marking the second such incident in the region this year.

The Emergency Lawyers organization accused the Egyptian regime's air force of carrying out the strikes. The group allegedly stated that the repeated attacks on mineral-rich border territories reflect a calculated desire by the regional authorities to expand and assert control over Sudan's lucrative natural resources. Cairo has yet to issue an official comment on the incident, though authorities previously acknowledged conducting large-scale security operations against illegal mining within their borders.

Independent verification of the casualty figures remains extremely difficult due to the rugged terrain and remote location of the site. The Sudan Doctors Network warned via social media of an expected surge in the death toll, citing the severity of sustained injuries and chronic difficulties in accessing essential medical care. Survivors reported that thousands of individuals were working at the sprawling site when the bombs fell, causing widespread panic and scattering miners across the desert.

The Halayeb triangle, claimed by both nations, has long been a notorious hub for illicit gold trading, smuggling, and human trafficking. Research from the UK-based Chatham House indicates that a substantial portion of Sudan's unofficial gold exports, funnelled through conflict-ridden regions, ultimately ends up in Egypt. While the European and regional dynamics remain complex, the Egyptian regime views the destabilized borderlands as a continuous security risk amid the broader Sudanese civil war.

Source: www.dw.com