By Brian Kiprono and Agencies - Reporter
Sudan, 24 November 2025 - Sudan’s government has accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of smuggling hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of gold out of the country, as the conflict continues to drain the economy and deepen the suffering of ordinary citizens.
Officials in Sudan say new intelligence links the RSF to shipments of gold worth more than $850 million, allegedly moved from Darfur and Kordofan in 2024 and early 2025.
Gold has long been the financial lifeline of Sudan’s warring sides, turning mines and export routes into battlegrounds.
“This gold was taken out quietly and illegally,” a government source told Sudan Tribune.
“It has deprived the country of vital revenue at a time when Sudanese families are struggling to survive.”
The accusations come as Sudan faces one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Recent reports from El Fasher, Kadugli and parts of Darfur highlight growing displacement, severe hunger and renewed fighting around key towns, violence fuelled, analysts say, by money flowing from smuggled minerals.
But the RSF and its allies insist the government’s claims are politically motivated.
Mustafa Mohamed Ibrahim, a senior figure in the Tasis alliance, dismissed the allegations as “slander and lies”, saying Port Sudan authorities were trying to “demonise” the RSF while hiding their own dealings.
He argued that Sudan must expand economic partnerships to keep people fed, adding that traditional gold production has risen and that the mining sector has opened its doors to new companies.
He also accused the government of exporting gold to the UAE despite recently cutting diplomatic ties.
The dispute intensified this week after miners in Sanqo, South Darfur, reported that Al-Junaid, a company linked to the RSF, had quietly resumed operations months after army airstrikes destroyed parts of its Aghbash mine.
Most of the gold produced in the area is believed to be moved through Chad, bypassing official checkpoints.
For years, Sudan has lost billions through gold smuggling, a problem now seen as directly sustaining the conflict.
Although the UAE confirmed receiving Sudanese gold worth about $1.9 billion in 2024, Khartoum believes the real figures are far higher and hidden behind informal routes.
Related Articles
Galkayo Court Sentences Woman to Death for Killing 14-Year-Old Girl
Nov 24, 2025
News
Read more →
President Ruto Heads to Angola for Pivotal Africa–EU Summit And AU Reform Talks
Nov 24, 2025
News
Read more →
Tragedy in Tana River: Snakebite Claims Pregnant Woman and Unborn Child Amid Alleged Negligence
Nov 24, 2025
News
Read more →