Air strikes kill dozens of gold miners on Sudan-Egypt border

At least 72 workers were killed in air strikes on a disputed border area between Sudan and Egypt that targeted artisanal gold miners, a human rights group said Sunday.

The attack, south of the remote Halayeb triangle, east of the River Nile, is the second of its kind this year.

It comes amid growing concern in Egypt over large-scale displacement from the three-and-a-half-year conflict in Sudan, which has spurred a cross-border exodus.

The Sudan-based Emergency Lawyers, a human rights and legal advocacy organization, said the attack occurred on Saturday in rugged and mountainous territory that it said lies within Sudan.

The Halayeb triangle, which is claimed by both Egypt and Sudan, is known for mining and the gold trade, along with other illicit goods and human trafficking.

The rights group accused the Egyptian air force of carrying out the strikes.

"The repeated attacks on the gold- and mineral-rich border regions reflect a desire by Egyptian authorities to expand and assert control over Sudan's natural resources," it claimed.

Egypt has yet to comment on the strikes, but has previously admitted conducting a "large-scale operation" against illegal gold mining within its borders.