France, Sept. 16 -- Since fighting erupted in April 2023 between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, both sides' war efforts have been largely funded by the country's gold trade, worth billions of dollars.

According to Sudanese officials and mining industry sources, nearly all of the gold exported or smuggled from Sudan flows to the United Arab Emirates, which denies accusations that it has supplied weapons to the RSF.

UAE building 'relationships of dependence' through investment across Africa Dangerous gold rush in unregulated mines

With jobs scarce across much of the country, many young Sudanese have joined a dangerous gold rush, mostly in unregulated mines such as Al-Zaraa in West Kordofan.

The mine's shafts beg...