A tragic mine collapse in northeastern Sudan has left 11 miners dead and seven others injured, according to a statement released by the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company (SMRC) on Sunday.
The incident occurred at the Kirsh al-Fil site in the remote desert area of Howeid, located between the army-controlled cities of Atbara and Haiya in Red Sea State. The mine, which is operated on a small-scale, artisanal basis, had previously been flagged by SMRC for safety concerns. Officials said they had earlier suspended operations there due to the risk it posed to workers.
Sudan, one of Africa’s largest gold producers, relies heavily on artisanal and small-scale mining, which makes up the bulk of the country’s gold output. These informal mining operations, often lacking basic safety standards and using dangerous chemicals, have long been associated with health hazards and fatal accidents.
The mining tragedy unfolds against the backdrop of an ongoing civil conflict that erupted in April 2023 between Sudan’s regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The war, now in its third year, has devastated the country’s economy and fueled a humanitarian crisis, displacing over 10 million people and leaving millions more in urgent need of food.
Gold has become a crucial financial lifeline for both warring factions. Reports suggest that much of the gold extracted in Sudan is smuggled across borders into Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt, eventually making its way to the United Arab Emirates accused by multiple sources of supplying arms to the RSF.
Despite the ongoing war, Sudan’s military-aligned government recently reported a record gold output of 64 tonnes in 2024. Prior to the conflict, artisanal mining employed over two million Sudanese citizens.
With safety lapses continuing in mining operations and the war showing no signs of resolution, observers fear that more lives may be at risk in pursuit of the country’s most valuable resource.
