Egyptian Airstrikes on Sudan Gold-Mining Sites Kill Scores of Sudanese Miners, Casualties Expected to Rise – Reports

Addis Ababa, October 11, 2026 (FMC) — Airstrikes on gold-mining sites near the Sudan-Egypt border have killed scores of Sudanese miners, with casualty estimates varying sharply across reports and fears that the death toll could rise as more information emerges from the affected area.

Sudan Tribune reported that at least five airstrikes hit artisanal gold-mining camps near the Al-Uqaydat mine and Al-Ansari market in Sudan’s River Nile State on Saturday, October 10. The newspaper cited local miners and residents who reported widespread casualties, injuries and the flight of hundreds of workers into surrounding mountainous areas. It said it could not independently verify the death toll or identify the aircraft involved.

In a subsequent report, Sudan Tribune cited three survivors who said that more than 200 miners had been killed, with hundreds more seriously injured. The survivors alleged that military aircraft launched more than five missiles against mining camps and boreholes, with some workers reportedly trapped when mine shafts collapsed. They blamed the Egyptian military for the attack, but the casualty figure and the identity of the aircraft have not been independently verified.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese rights group Emergency Lawyers reported that 72 miners were killed, describing its figure as preliminary as efforts to document casualties continued. The group attributed the attack to the Egyptian air force.

The Sudan Doctors Network, however, reported a lower preliminary toll of 13 people killed and at least 28 injured in an airstrike in the border triangle area between Sudan, Egypt and Libya. The medical group warned that the death toll could rise because some of the injured were in serious condition and access to healthcare was limited. It did not identify the party responsible for the strike.

The sharply differing figures reflect the difficulty of establishing the scale of the casualties in a remote area where access to medical services is limited. While survivors cited by Sudan Tribune blamed Egyptian military aircraft, the outlet said it could not independently identify the aircraft or verify the reported toll.

Sudan Tribune reported that it had sought comment from the Sudanese and Egyptian militaries, but neither had immediately responded. No party had publicly claimed responsibility for the strikes at the time of reporting.