Egyptian security forces have detained hundreds of people, including foreign nationals, on the country’s border with Sudan, in a crackdown on illegal gold mining and smuggling.
A total of 87 Egyptians and 136 other foreigners whose nationalities were not disclosed were in custody, the military said Monday.
Authorities also seized “large amounts of equipment and devices used in illegal mining operations,” according to a military statement.
The gold-rich region borders Sudan, where a three-year conflict has fostered widespread unregulated mining.
Sudan’s instability has facilitated extensive illicit gold trade. A 2024 UN Panel of Experts Report indicated over 50 per cent of gold mined there is smuggled out, despite accounting for 70 per cent of the country’s revenue.
Online videos showed hundreds of Sudanese at a border crossing, with media reporting them as miners detained and expelled by Egyptian authorities.
In response, Sudan’s top general, Abdel-Fattah Burhan, speaking from a gold-rich area in northeastern Sudan, urged citizens “to not move towards the borders to incite any problems.”
He affirmed the government’s “full appreciation and respect for our neighbouring countries” and pledged to combat illegal smuggling and mining.
Gold has been a critical resource funding the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, who have reportedly smuggled thousands of tons from Darfur and Kordofan.
The Egyptian military also stated some suspected gold miners had surrendered to authorities and were subsequently repatriated, their nationalities unspecified.
The military concluded with a stern warning, asserting it “retains all available options to deal with all threats.”
