Illegal gold mining: Egypt detains hundreds near Sudan border, military says

Egypt’s military said security forces detained hundreds of people near the Sudan border. The military accused the group of illegal gold mining and smuggling. The statement, issued on Monday, said many detainees were foreigners. Officials also said large amounts of mining tools were seized during the operation.

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The military statement said the detainees included 87 Egyptians and 136 other foreigners. Authorities did not identify the foreign nationals’ countries. The army said the crackdown targeted illegal mining activity near the southern frontier. It also said the operation focused on stopping smuggling routes linked to gold extraction.

Egypt gold mining projects and border crackdown

Egypt’s southern region contains many gold sites and active mines. The government has also started large mining developments there, including the Sukari megaproject. Against this background, the military said it found equipment and devices used for illegal mining. Officials did not give details on the type or value of items seized.

Online video clips showed hundreds of Sudanese people gathered at a border crossing. Sudanese media reports said these were miners detained and expelled by the Egyptian government. The Egyptian military said some suspected gold miners surrendered to Egyptian authorities. The statement said they were later sent them back to their home country.

Sudan gold mining and smuggling across the Egypt border

The border area also touches Sudan, which has major gold resources. Sudan has faced chaos from a three-year war, and much mining there is unregulated. More than 50% of gold mined in Sudan was smuggled out of the country. This was cited in a UN Panel of Experts Report in 2024.

Sudan’s gold trade is also tied to national income and the conflict. Gold accounts for 70% of the countrys revenue. The war has involved Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The report said the Rapid Support Forces have smuggled out thousands of tons of gold from Darfur and Kordofan.

Egypt’s military did not explain which nationalities were detained or expelled. It also did not give a total figure for those sent back. The Egyptian military also warned that it retains all available options to deal with all threats. The statement ended without further details on future border measures.

With inputs from PTI