Sudan gold mine collapse kills 11

A partial collapse of a traditional gold mine has killed 11 miners and wounded seven others in war-torn Sudan's northeast, the state mining company said on Sunday.

Since war erupted between Sudan's regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, both sides' war efforts have been largely funded by Sudan's gold industry.

According to official and NGO sources, nearly all of the gold trade is funnelled through the United Arab Emirates, widely accused of arming the RSF.

In a statement, the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company (SMRC) said that the collapse occurred in an "artisanal shaft in the Kirsh al-Fil mine" in the remote desert area of Howeid, located between the army-controlled cities of Atbara and Haiya in Sudan's northeastern Red Sea state.

It did not mention when the collapse took place.