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A gold mine collapse in Sudan has killed at least 13 miners and injured six others, according to the state-run Sudanese Mineral Resources Company (SMRC).
The incident occurred last Friday at the Umm Fakroun mine in South Kordofan state, where several disused shafts caved in.
SMRC said the collapse affected five abandoned tunnels that had previously been sealed off, but were illegally accessed by miners.
“The shafts had been abandoned and shut down, but some miners snuck in and were working illegally,” the statement said.
Sudan’s gold sector has become a key source of funding since fighting broke out in April 2023 between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, alongside financial backing from foreign allies.
Despite the ongoing conflict and economic devastation, Sudan recorded what officials described as a five-year high in gold production in 2025, with output reaching about 70 tonnes. However, authorities said that most of the gold never enters official channels.
Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim reportedly said earlier this month that only around 20 tonnes of last year’s production were officially exported, with the rest smuggled through neighbouring countries such as Chad, South Sudan and Egypt, before eventually reaching markets including the United Arab Emirates.
Although Sudan is one of Africa’s leading gold producers, most of its output comes from artisanal and small-scale mining operations like Umm Fakroun. These sites often lack basic safety standards and rely on hazardous chemicals, exposing workers and nearby communities to serious health risks.
