By Asaye Bankole
At least 70 people have been killed after a gold mine collapsed in Sudan’s West Kordofan State, with several miners still feared trapped beneath the rubble.
The incident occurred on Tuesday at the al-Zaraa gold mine near al-Nuhud town, where a number of adjoining mining shafts collapsed, according to the Kordofan Observatory monitoring group.
The group said dozens of artisanal miners were caught in the collapse and that rescue efforts were being carried out by local residents using basic tools.
It added that no specialised rescue teams had arrived at the site, while the loose and sandy nature of the soil was making the operation more difficult.
However, a source within Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which controls the area, gave a higher casualty figure, saying at least 82 people had died and another 50 were injured.
The source, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said an unknown number of miners remained trapped under the debris.
A survivor, Khair al-Sayyed Jabara, said he and other miners had worked throughout the night to try to rescue those trapped inside.
He stressed that heavy machinery was urgently needed to reach survivors.
“We don’t know how many more are still inside,” he said.
Another miner, Amin Suleiman, said the mining shafts had been constructed extremely close to one another, meaning the collapse of one shaft caused neighbouring shafts to fall as well.
Local sources attributed the high death toll to inadequate safety measures and a lack of proper rescue equipment.
The Sudan Doctors Network also warned that the number of casualties could increase as search operations continue.
The medical group said the mine lacked basic safety measures and condemned what it described as negligence that had exposed miners to serious danger.
West Kordofan is controlled by the RSF, which has been fighting Sudan’s army since April 2023 in a conflict that has caused a major humanitarian crisis across the country.
Gold smuggling and mining have also become important sources of revenue for armed groups operating in Sudan.
The Sudan Doctors Network said mining operations in areas controlled by the RSF, without adequate safety standards, protective measures and rescue equipment, pose a serious threat to civilians.
The group called for rescue operations to continue and urged the provision of medical and logistical assistance to those affected.
It also appealed to authorities controlling the area to take steps to end unsafe and unregulated mining activities.
Sudan is one of Africa’s major gold-producing countries, with a significant portion of its gold extracted through informal and often hazardous mining operations at unofficial or abandoned sites.
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