Fierce clashes broke out between artisanal miners at the Bahoura gold fields in Sudan’s Red Sea state and fighters from armed movements after the latter attempted to expel miners from the area, local media and residents said on Friday.
Miners rejected any halt to traditional mining at Bahoura, asserting ownership claims to the land and demanding that armed groups leave Red Sea state, according to reports and social posts shared by community activists. There were no immediate official statements on casualties.
Thousands of members of the Bishariyin tribe reportedly converged on the area amid online calls to arm Beja communities to “protect their lands,” raising fears of a wider escalation if armed movements are not withdrawn from eastern Sudan.
Background: Red Sea state has seen recurring friction around gold mining sites and company concessions, including protests in Halayeb, Jubeit al-Ma’aden and Wadi al-Ashar in recent years. Local Beja leaders have previously warned armed movements to leave the state, reflecting a volatile mix of land, revenue and security disputes along Sudan’s northeastern corridor. Separately, a series of fatal mine collapses this summer underscored the dangers facing the sector.
The situation remained tense around Bahoura and Haya locality, residents said.
