At least five people have been killed and six others wounded after drone strikes hit three artisanal gold-mining sites in Sudan’s South Kordofan state, according to a report by Sudan Tribune published on Wednesday, October 28
The attacks occurred on Tuesday, October 27, in the El Leri area, where drones targeted facilities used to process gold. Local sources cited by Sudan Tribune said the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were the likely perpetrators, but responsibility had not been independently confirmed.
Three Mining Sites Targeted
According to local sources, the first strike hit water mills at the Al-Akhdar mine, where two missiles reportedly killed five people and injured two others.
A second strike targeted a water mill at the Al-Karkar mine, injuring another person. The attacks also extended to a gold-processing site west of the Al-Dambalo mine, where three people were reportedly wounded.
The strikes damaged facilities used by artisanal miners to process gold. The full extent of the damage was not immediately clear.
The Sudanese Mineral Resources Company, the regulatory body operating under Sudan’s Ministry of Minerals, had previously accused the RSF of orchestrating attacks on mining sites in South Kordofan.
Gold Mining Supports Thousands of Workers
Artisanal gold mining provides an important source of income in South Kordofan, particularly in areas where conflict has disrupted other economic activities.
The state has numerous small-scale mining operations, including in El Leri, Talodi and Tadamon. Workers and their families depend on these activities for income, while local businesses benefit from the trade and services surrounding mining operations.
Sudan Tribune reports that artisanal mining employs more than two million people across Sudan and accounts for over 80 per cent of the country’s gold production.
Repeated attacks on mining facilities could disrupt workers’ earnings and damage the local businesses that depend on gold processing. However, the extent of the economic losses from the latest strikes has not yet been established.
Drone Warfare Intensifies Civilian Risks
The latest incident comes amid a wider escalation in drone attacks during Sudan’s war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, which began in April 2023.
On October 25, Sudan Tribune reported that United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk had raised alarm over drone strikes that killed at least 306 people and injured hundreds across Sudan during the first three weeks of October The UN said attacks attributed to both sides had hit civilian sites and infrastructure, including homes, markets, hospitals, displacement locations, power facilities and water sources.
The growing use of drones has increased the risks facing civilians and people working in areas affected by the fighting. In South Kordofan, the latest strikes highlight the vulnerability of workers at economic sites far from major urban centres.
The circumstances of the El Leri attacks, including responsibility for the strikes, require further independent verification.
For now, the reported deaths and injuries add to the human and economic costs of a conflict that continues to threaten civilian safety and livelihoods across Sudan.
