Sudan gold mine collapse kills at least 67 in West Kordofan

September 16, 2026 (AL-NUHUD) – At least 67 people were killed when a gold mine collapsed in Sudan’s West Kordofan state, a medical group said on Wednesday.

The disaster occurred at the Al-Zar’a mine near Al-Nuhud, a territory held by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the Sudanese Doctors Network said in a statement.

Rescue workers were searching for survivors trapped beneath the debris, though casualties were expected to rise due to the lack of safety measures at the site.

Local sources told Sudan Tribune that dozens of artisanal miners had been trapped since Tuesday morning, with recovery teams relying on basic hand tools to reach them.

The sources said the collapse was likely triggered by unstable ground loosened by recent heavy rains.

Collapses at unregulated gold shafts are common across northern and eastern Sudan, where millions rely on informal mining to survive amid economic devastation. In July, about 15 miners were killed in a similar cave-in in Northern State.

Al-Nuhud, the largest city in West Kordofan, and its surrounding gold deposits are under RSF control and have drawn waves of prospectors since civil war broke out in April 2023.

The medical group denounced the neglect of basic safety standards, warning that mining in RSF-administered zones without emergency rescue services or protective equipment leaves civilians facing extreme danger.

It urged the controlling authorities to halt unregulated digging, protect workers, and supply urgent medical and logistical aid to the site.

Sudan’s artisanal gold sector employs more than two million people and accounts for upwards of 80% of national production. Authorities have repeatedly pledged to regulate the informal trade, though state oversight has collapsed across conflict-affected regions.