Egyptian airstrike kills 72 gold miners on Sudan border, rights group alleges

Emergency Lawyers blames the Egyptian military for the deadliest attack on informal gold miners near the disputed Sudan‑Egypt border.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 12 Oct 2026 05:12:22 GMT

At least 72 gold miners were killed in an airstrike on the Sudan‑Egypt border on Saturday, according to the Sudanese rights group Emergency Lawyers, which accuses the Egyptian air force of carrying out the attack.

What happened

The strike hit a mining site in the mountainous Jabal al‑Uqaydat region, a known informal gold‑mining area that straddles the disputed Halayeb triangle. Survivors described chaos and heavy fire, and preliminary information from the rights group puts the death toll at 72 civilians. The group said verification is ongoing.

What the reports add

France 24 reported that the attack was the second airstrike this year on Jabal al‑Uqaydat, following a June raid that killed 23 workers. Al Jazeera echoed the claim that Egyptian fighter jets targeted the site and noted that the attack could not be independently verified and that Egypt has not commented.

What was said

Emergency Lawyers wrote on X: “Egyptian fighter jets targeted civilian miners in the northern Wadi area inside Sudanese territory, resulting, according to preliminary information, in the killing of 72 civilians.” Both France 24 and Al Jazeera attributed the statement to the rights organisation.

How it came about

The border region has been a flashpoint in the Sudan‑Egypt conflict, with both nations claiming the resource‑rich Halayeb triangle. Earlier this year, the Egyptian army said it conducted a “large‑scale operation” against illegal gold mining within its borders, though it did not claim responsibility for any strikes. The June airstrike that killed 23 miners was also attributed to Egypt by local monitors. Sudan’s ongoing war, including the Rapid Support Forces’ control of gold‑rich areas, has driven many civilians to informal mining, a context explored in Felo’s recent coverage of the September gold‑mine collapses (Sudan Gold Mine Collapse Claims 82 Lives and Sudan Gold Mine Collapse Claims 10 Lives).

Key facts

At least 72 gold miners were killed in an airstrike on the Sudan‑Egypt border. (france24.com)
Emergency Lawyers blames the Egyptian air force for the attack. (aljazeera.com)
The strike hit the Jabal al‑Uqaydat mining area, the second such attack this year. (france24.com)

Timeline

2026-06-XX — Airstrike on Jabal al‑Uqaydat killed 23 miners, reportedly by Egypt.
2026-09-16 — Collapse at Al Zaraa gold mine killed 82 miners.
2026-10-12 — Airstrike kills 72 miners on Sudan‑Egypt border.