11 killed in Sudan gold mine collapse

Partial collapse of a traditional gold mine in northeastern Sudan has killed 11 miners and injured seven others, according to the state mining company. Meanwhile, the brutal civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has entered its third year. The report comes from Al Jazeera.Since the war began in April 2023, both sides have largely funded their battlefields through Sudan’s gold industry.In a statement released Sunday, Sudanese Mineral Resources Company (SMRC) said the collapse occurred at a technical shaft of the Kirsh al-Fil mine, located in the remote desert area of Howeida between the SAF-controlled towns of Atbara and Haiya in the Red Sea State of northeastern Sudan.SMRC reported that seven others were injured in the accident and have been hospitalized.The company further stated that it had previously suspended operations at the mine and warned against continuing activities there due to the “high risk to life.”According to information from government and various NGO sources, nearly all of Sudan’s gold trade is conducted through the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The country has been accused of supplying weapons to the RSF, although the UAE has consistently denied these allegations.The prolonged war has devastated Sudan’s economy. However, the military-backed government announced a record production of 64 tons of gold in 2024.The third-largest country in Africa, Sudan is among the continent’s top gold producers. Yet most of its gold is extracted from artisanal and small-scale mining operations.