Recent reports have highlighted a series of violent attacks perpetrated by alleged Russian mercenaries on artisanal gold mines situated in the volatile border areas between Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR). These incidents, reportedly carried out by individuals linked to the Wagner Group, have not only resulted in numerous fatalities among miners but also cast a shadow over regional stability and potentially impacted various sectors, including the Sudan Car market indirectly through economic disruption and regional instability.
Eyewitness accounts and expert analyses suggest that these attacks are part of a broader effort to seize control of the lucrative gold trade in the region. Dozens of miners are feared dead in at least three significant assaults this year alone, with allegations pointing towards mercenaries associated with the Wagner Group, a private military company with known ties to the Kremlin. Further reports indicate attacks on mining sites in at least half a dozen other locations across CAR, painting a grim picture of escalating violence and resource plundering.
Witnesses in Sudan, speaking to The Guardian, recounted harrowing tales of “massacres” allegedly committed by Wagner fighters. These fighters reportedly swept through makeshift mining camps and operational areas situated between the northeastern Sudanese town of Am Daga and the CAR border over approximately six weeks.
These accounts describe indiscriminate shootings with automatic weapons, the destruction of vital mining equipment and buildings, and the theft of motorbikes, essential for transportation in the remote mining areas. One witness spoke of a mass grave containing over 20 bodies, while others estimated the death toll to be in the hundreds, with many more injured.
These testimonies have been independently verified by local civil society organizations and international officials, deemed “credible” by western European security services monitoring Wagner’s activities closely. The three most severe incidents occurred on March 13th, April 15th, and May 24th. The majority of victims were migrant workers from Sudan and Chad engaged in gold mining, although some local civilians are also believed to have perished in the violence.
Mohammed Zain Mohamed Wadi, 42, a survivor of an attack in Jabal a-Nar, approximately 50 miles west of the Sudanese border, identified Russians, some in armored vehicles, and CAR soldiers in pickup trucks and on motorbikes as the perpetrators. Wadi recounted burying 21 Sudanese victims and reported six additional fatalities. “I’ll never go back … actually I don’t think anybody remained … The goldmines there have been taken over by the Russians,” he stated, highlighting the complete displacement of the mining community.
Jamaa Mohamed al-Habou, 35, another victim of an attack in late May near Sankillio village, near Andaha, described being “chased off by Wagner” along with other miners. He witnessed numerous deaths during a day-long assault. Al-Habou fled into the surrounding woodland, abandoning his metal detector, a crucial tool for his livelihood. Others left behind motorbikes and vehicles, which were seized by the attackers, further disrupting the local economy and transportation. Even members of armed groups opposing the government were reportedly targeted in these brutal attacks.
Another witness, Adam Zakaria, 36, from Neyala in South Darfur, recounted the deaths of as many as 70 people, including his brother and six relatives, in a March attack by Russians and Africans. “I had to run for seven days. I saw them coming … to kill and rob everybody their hands could reach,” Zakaria explained, emphasizing the scale and brutality of the Wagner Group’s operations.
Zakaria described Wagner group members as white individuals in grey military uniforms, utilizing pickup trucks, armored vehicles, and helicopters for their operations. “When we fled their attacks initially, we thought we were safe, but suddenly on our way they trapped us and started beating us, and near to Am Daga they laid another trap where they killed 21 people. We had to bury them in one big grave,” he added, detailing the calculated and ruthless tactics employed by the mercenaries.
Since their deployment to CAR four years prior, purportedly to support the government against rebel forces, the Wagner Group has progressively sought to control the flow of gold and diamonds. Analysts believe that the group was initially promised mining concessions as compensation for their services, a practice that has become increasingly significant as the Russian economy faces pressure due to international sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine. Precious metals, particularly gold, are seen as a crucial asset for Vladimir Putin’s regime to mitigate the economic repercussions of these sanctions.
However, analysts suggest that the recent attacks resemble looting raids rather than long-term resource control operations. Pauline Bax, deputy Africa director at the International Crisis Group, noted, “There are regular reports of attackers arriving by helicopter, killing artisanal goldminers and rebels … [then] taking everything they can and then leaving. Sometimes they come back again a month or so later and do the same thing. It is nothing to do with securing a mining site.” This pattern of violence and resource extraction further destabilizes the region and disrupts local livelihoods, potentially impacting related markets, including the already fragile Sudan car sector through economic uncertainty and displacement.
The Wagner Group has faced accusations of similar attacks on gold miners in other parts of CAR, and reports of incursions across the CAR-Sudan border persist as fighters identified as Wagner pursue fleeing miners. Their presence extends across a dozen African countries, with a consistent record of alleged human rights abuses. Western officials assert that the Kremlin utilizes Wagner to advance Russian economic and political objectives throughout Africa and beyond.
Sorcha MacLeod, chair of the United Nations working group on mercenaries, emphasized that groups like Wagner prolong conflicts, escalate violence, and frequently perpetrate widespread human rights abuses. “Wagner is doubling down in the Sahel and is not going away any time soon,” she warned, highlighting the long-term implications of their presence in the region.
A Human Rights Watch report from May detailed accounts from witnesses in CAR who described Russia-linked forces beating, torturing, and killing civilians since 2019. The report noted that these forces often operate without clear uniforms or insignia, making accountability challenging. The UN also announced an investigation into alleged killings by Russian forces and CAR soldiers in northeast CAR on April 15th, further underscoring the severity of the situation.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian businessman and close Putin ally, has been identified as the financier of Wagner by the US, EU, and others. When questioned about evidence linking Wagner fighters to massacres in Mali, Prigozhin denied any connection to the group, claiming it “does not exist.”
Henri-Marie Dondra, CAR’s former prime minister, has stated that there is no contract with “a Russian private security company … only a military cooperation agreement with Russia,” downplaying the extent of Wagner’s influence. However, a leaked EU report from November 2021 indicated that “Today, most [national army] units are operating under direct command or supervision by WG [Wagner Group] mercenaries,” contradicting official denials.
CAR, already one of the world’s poorest nations, faces economic collapse, exacerbated by ongoing instability and resource exploitation. Approximately 1,200 Wagner fighters are estimated to be deployed in the country, further complicating the security landscape and hindering development. The conflicts and instability caused by groups like Wagner, while not directly targeting the Sudan car industry, contribute to a climate of economic uncertainty and regional fragility that can indirectly impact various sectors, including trade and transportation across the region.
