KHARTOUM: A gold mine collapsed in southern Sudan killing at least 60 people, two survivors told AFP on Wednesday, while many more are missing and feared dead under the rubble.
Since war erupted in April 2023 between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, the war efforts of both sides have been largely funded by the country’s gold trade, valued at billions of dollars.
According to Sudanese officials and mining industry sources, nearly all of the gold exported or smuggled from Sudan flows to the United Arab Emirates, which denies widespread reports it arms the RSF.
With much of the country out of work, many young Sudanese have joined a dangerous gold rush, mostly in unregulated mines such as Al-Zaraa in West Kordofan.
The mine’s shafts began collapsing on Tuesday with dozens of small-scale miners underground. By the following morning 60 bodies had been retrieved.