AL-NAHUD – More than 67 people were killed after the Al-Zara gold mine collapsed near Al-Nahud in West Kordofan state on Tuesday, according to the Sudan Doctors Network.
The medical group said rescue teams were continuing to search for survivors and people trapped under the rubble, warning that the death toll could rise.
The network said the mine lacked basic safety and protection measures for workers, including adequate safety standards, protective equipment and rescue services.
It warned that the absence of such safeguards in mining areas under Rapid Support Forces (RSF) control was putting workers and civilians at direct risk.
The Sudan Doctors Network condemned what it described as negligence that endangered the lives of mine workers and called for search and rescue operations to continue.
It also urged the provision of medical and logistical resources needed to respond to the incident and assist those affected.
The network called on the authorities controlling the area to protect civilians and mine workers and to halt what it described as unregulated mining activities to prevent similar incidents.
West Kordofan is one of Sudan’s major gold-producing regions, where artisanal and small-scale mining employs large numbers of workers, often in remote areas with limited emergency services and weak safety oversight.
Sudan’s war has further disrupted state regulation, health services and emergency response systems in several mining areas, increasing the risks faced by workers and local communities.
Sudan Now could not independently verify the reported death toll or the circumstances of the collapse.
