Egypt Says It Is Cracking Down on Illegal Gold Mining Amid Sudan Probe

Egypt's army has said it is taking action against illegal gold mining activity, according to a statement reported by Anadolu Agency, following Sudanese authorities' order for an inquiry into the reported killing of 72 miners near the Egyptian border.

The Sudanese investigation was launched after reports emerged that dozens of miners had been killed near the shared border area, though details of the circumstances surrounding the deaths were not fully specified in the available report.

Illegal gold mining has been a persistent issue in parts of the region, with unregulated operations sometimes linked to smuggling networks and, at times, violence among rival groups competing for access to mining sites.

Egypt's statement did not provide specific figures on the scale of its enforcement efforts or detail what measures are being taken at or near the border to address illegal mining activity.

The developments underscore continuing security and resource-management challenges along the Egypt-Sudan border region, where cross-border mining activity has drawn renewed attention following the reported deaths.