'At least 72' miners killed in airstrike on Sudan-Egypt border

Dozens of miners have been killed in an airstrike in the border region between Sudan and Egypt, according to a human rights group.

Sudanese organisation Emergency Lawyers said at least 72 people had been killed in the attack, which happened on Saturday morning local time in the Border Triangle Area.

Another group, the Sudan Doctors Network (SDN), said earlier that 13 people had died but also said that the number of those killed was expected to rise.

It has not been confirmed who was responsible for the attack, and the aircraft involved has not been identified.

The SDN said the miners had been repeatedly warned by Egyptian authorities to evacuate the area.

Initial reports suggested the attack took place on the Egyptian side of the border, while Emergency Lawyers said it happened in Sudanese territory and blamed Egyptian forces.

Gold has played a central part in the war in Sudan, with the insurgent paramilitary Rapid Support Forces smuggling out thousands of tons of the precious metal from the Darfur and Kordofan regions to fund themselves.

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Abdel-Aziz Yousef, a survivor, told the Associated Press news agency that the site targeted was an artisanal gold mine in a mountainous area.

He said that many people were killed or wounded, and others fled the area amid fears there would be further strikes.

The SDN said earlier that some of the wounded had serious injuries and limited access to healthcare facilities.

In June, Egyptian security forces arrested hundreds of people on the border with Sudan, accusing them of illegal gold mining and smuggling.

More than 50% of gold mined in Sudan is smuggled out of the country, according to a 2024 UN report.

(c) Sky News 2026: 'At least 72' miners killed in airstrike on Sudan-Egypt border