Egyptian security Forces have detained hundreds of people, including foreigners, along the country’s border with Sudan in a sweeping operation targeting illegal gold mining and smuggling activities, according to a military statement.
Authorities said the detainees included 87 Egyptians and 136 foreign nationals, though their countries of origin were not disclosed. The operation also led to the seizure of large quantities of equipment allegedly used in unlicensed mining activities.
The crackdown comes amid growing concerns over illegal mining networks operating across the Egypt-Sudan frontier, a region rich in gold deposits but increasingly destabilized by Sudan’s ongoing conflict.
Sudan has been engulfed in war since April 2023, a situation that has fuelled unregulated mining and large-scale gold smuggling, with reports suggesting that more than half of Sudan’s gold output is trafficked out of the country.
The Egyptian military said some suspects voluntarily surrendered and were repatriated, while warning that it would take firm action against any threats linked to illicit mining operations.
Sudan’s military leadership, meanwhile, has urged citizens to avoid border areas and pledged efforts to curb smuggling and illegal extraction, as gold continues to play a critical role in financing armed groups in the conflict. The situation underscores the growing intersection between natural resource exploitation and regional instability across the Nile corridor.
