A collapse at a traditional gold mine in Sudan’s northeast has killed 11 miners and injured seven more, the state-run Sudanese Mineral Resources Company (SMRC) announced on Sunday.
The incident occurred in an artisanal shaft at the Kirsh al-Fil mine, located in the remote desert between army-controlled Atbara and Haiya in the Red Sea state. SMRC did not specify when the tragedy happened but revealed the mine had previously been shut due to safety risks.
Sudan, Africa’s third-largest country, remains one of the continent’s top gold producers, with artisanal and small-scale mining responsible for the bulk of output. However, these informal mines lack safety protocols and often employ dangerous chemicals, leading to environmental and health hazards.
Since civil war broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), both sides have increasingly relied on gold to finance their war efforts. Most of the trade, according to official and NGO sources, is channelled through the United Arab Emirates, which has faced accusations of arming the RSF.
Despite the war devastating Sudan’s economy and displacing over 10 million people, the army-backed government claimed a record gold output of 64 tonnes in 2024. Much of the gold is reportedly smuggled through Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt before reaching the UAE.
Before the conflict, more than two million Sudanese worked in artisanal mining, a vital source of income now marred by danger and political exploitation.