Nahud, October 21 (Darfur24)
Gold miners in West Kordofan State have accused members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of looting, extortion, and imposing illegal fees on prospectors in the Fuga mining area near the city of Nahud.
Miners told Darfur24 that RSF members demand a share of the “gold stone” prepared for grinding, typically seizing one full bag each time miners go to the mills. In some cases, armed personnel reportedly take over entire wells, operating them for 24 hours for their own benefit.
They added that repeated RSF violations in September forced several mining operations to stop after incidents of stone theft and forced labor. Miners also reported robberies involving money and mobile phones, harassment of women, and attacks on shops, prompting many to flee the area.
“One RSF commander had earlier ordered his troops to stop taking miners’ stones or using wells for their own profit,” a miner told Darfur24. “But recently, they have resumed these practices.”
Darfur24 observed a growing number of gold prospectors in West Kordofan following the RSF’s takeover of Nahud, which displaced most residents and disrupted local livelihoods. Many have since turned to small-scale mining despite rising insecurity.