Airstrikes kill dozens of gold miners on Egypt-Sudan border, rights group says
Also reported by BBC World
Summary
At least 72 gold miners were killed in airstrikes on the Sudan-Egypt border, according to a Sudanese rights group. The group accused the Egyptian air force of the attack, but Egypt has not commented and the report could not be independently confirmed.Key Facts
- The airstrike happened on Saturday at a gold mine located on the Sudan-Egypt border.
- The Emergency Lawyers rights organization said 72 miners died and is still verifying the number.
- Survivors described jets striking the mine multiple times, causing people to flee in terror.
- This was the second airstrike this year at the Jabal al-Uqaydat mining site; a previous strike in June killed 23 miners.
- Egypt has denied the strikes occurred on its territory, calling them operations against illegal mining.
- The border area is disputed, with both Egypt and Sudan claiming a gold-rich area called the Halayeb triangle.
- The region is involved in ongoing conflict, driving many into dangerous gold mining jobs.
- Egypt views the conflict near its border as a security risk and has taken measures against illegal mining and arms smuggling.
