Liberty Case

River Nile State, Sudan – At least six people have been confirmed dead and around 20 others remain missing after a traditional gold mine collapsed in River Nile State in northern Sudan, officials and volunteer groups reported on Saturday.

The collapse occurred on Friday at a gold mine in the Umm Oud area, west of Berber, resulting in the deaths of six miners. Local authorities said search operations are ongoing for others believed to still be trapped under the rubble, with the number of missing estimated to be around twenty.

The bodies of the six victims were laid to rest at the Salm Al-Namirab cemetery. They were identified as Muhand Abdul Qader Hamad, Al-Misbah Amir Al-Sheikh, Bakri Badr Al-Din Al-Akkam, Bakri Kamal Al-Wael, Osama Abdul Moneim Al-Hassan, and Muhammad Uthman Hafez Al-Awad.

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Hassan Ibrahim Karar, executive director of Berber locality, confirmed that rescue teams are continuing their efforts to reach those still trapped. He said the local administration is mourning the victims and praying for their mercy and forgiveness, while expressing hope that ongoing operations might still yield survivors despite the difficult conditions underground.

The Sudan Doctors Network, a volunteer group, confirmed the casualties and said nine others sustained injuries and were transferred to Atbara Hospital for treatment. The group blamed the frequent tragedies in artisanal mining on chaos, lack of oversight, and absence of safety standards, urging authorities to shut down unregulated mines and provide safer alternatives for workers.

In a related development, the Environment and Safety Department of the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company Limited’s Northern State office, in coordination with the Mineral Economics Security Department and the Mining Security Police, conducted a large-scale field campaign to curb illegal mining practices.

The campaign, held in the Al-Khanaq market in Halfa locality, resulted in the seizure of more than 150 thiourea mixers, along with large quantities of thiourea, cyanide, and activated carbon. Officials said the use of these materials in unregulated gold production processes posed serious risks to human and animal safety, damaged the environment, and harmed the national economy by producing gold that failed to meet oversight standards.

Abdul Rahman Mahjoub Al-Nadif, director of the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company’s Northern State office, told the Sudan News Agency that all the violations observed had been removed, with official reports filed at the Dongola Police Department. The confiscated materials were handed over to the competent prosecution office to complete legal procedures. He stressed that the campaign is part of broader government measures to safeguard the environment, protect mining workers, and ensure compliance with approved health and safety standards.

Sudan is one of Africa’s largest gold producers, with traditional mining employing an estimated 1.5 million people and accounting for nearly 80 percent of output. However, accidents are common at artisanal mining sites due to weak regulation, poor safety standards, and lack of protective equipment. Officials say more field inspections and enforcement operations will continue in order to reduce violations and improve safety in the sector.

In 2021, Sudanese authorities reported that at least 38 people were killed when a disused gold mine collapsed in West Kordofan province.

According to a statement from the state-run mining company, the incident occurred at the closed Darsaya mine in the village of Fuja, located about 700 kilometers (435 miles) south of Khartoum. The company confirmed there were also injuries but did not provide exact figures.

Local media said multiple shafts gave way during the collapse. In addition to the fatalities, at least eight injured miners were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Photographs shared by the mining company on Facebook showed villagers gathered at the site while at least two dredgers were deployed in an attempt to recover bodies and search for survivors.

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