Egypt's army says third phase of anti-illegal gold mining campaign continues

In mid-October 2026 the Egyptian army said it was continuing the third phase of its campaign against illegal gold prospecting in the Eastern Desert. The operation was carried out by the armed forces together with police, and the army said warning leaflets had been dropped over the area beforehand.

The campaign began on 22 June 2026 in the Southern Military Zone, and a second phase followed on 2 August. Earlier operations led to the detention of more than 200 people in a crackdown on gangs and illegal prospecting.

The third-phase announcement came as a Sudanese rights group, Emergency Lawyers, said jets had struck artisanal gold miners in northern Sudan. It reported at least 72 dead, while survivors put the toll higher. The group blamed the Egyptian air force, but the claim was not independently verified. Neither Egypt nor Sudan publicly said who carried out the strikes, and Egypt's statement neither confirmed nor denied strikes inside Sudan. Reports differed on the exact location. The episode raised concern about relations between Cairo and Khartoum over a disputed border area.