Egyptian Air Strikes Kill and Injure Sudanese Gold Miners Near Border

On 16 June 2026, armed aircraft identified as belonging to the Egyptian military conducted a series of drone and heavy‑gun attacks on informal gold‑mining sites near the Sudan‑Egypt border. The strikes hit the Al‑Ansari and Al‑Aqed mining areas in the Nile River region, setting tents and vehicles on fire and causing dozens of deaths and many more injuries among Sudanese miners. Witnesses reported that the attacks began in the early morning and continued until noon, forcing survivors to flee to nearby mountains and caves.

Local miners blamed the Egyptian army for the operation, accusing it of repeatedly targeting the camps and accusing Sudanese diggers of crossing the border. The Sudanese authorities have not issued an official comment. The informal mining sector employs over two million people nationwide and supplies more than 80 % of Sudan’s gold output, a figure that has risen sharply since the war began in April 2023.