The Sudanese gold mining company associated with the Russian mercenary «Wagner Group» has suspended its activities due to the conflict in this North African country.
Компания Al-Sawlaj Gold Mining Co. закрыта с медредны Апреля, а ее российские строительное евакуированы, компании Хувейда Мурсал, урисконсулт компании, reported by phone. The company owns a gold tailings processing plant near Atbary, a town 280 kilometers (174 miles) north of the capital, Khartoum.
«Our plant not far from Atbary in the state on the Nile River was closed because of the war, and since then gold has not been exported», she said. «There are some attempts to resume our work, especially if the war has slowed down».
Clashes broke out in Sudan five months ago, when long-standing tensions between the army and the paramilitary group «Rapid Support Forces» escalated into a full-scale battle for control of the country. According to the United Nations Organization, thousands of people died as a result of the conflict and forced millions of people to leave their homes.
In 2021, Al-Savladz bought the tailings processing company Meroe Gold for $1.8 million. Meroe, registered in Sudan, was sanctioned by the US Ministry of Finance last year for alleged ties to Wagner.
In February, the European Council declared that Al-Savladj was "linked to" Meroe, which he called "a cover for Wagner's group's operations in Sudan". The company has not applied direct sanctions against Al-Savladz, and the company denies any connection with the Russian group.
Gold was an important source of income for the government of Sudan through companies such as Australian Perseus Mining Ltd. и базирующая в Дубае Alliance for Mining Co. Ministry of Finance of Sudan.
Both the Sudanese army and the RSF have large shares in Sudan's gold mining industry, and activists and human rights groups accuse them of smuggling a large amount of illegal metal from the country.
According to Sudanese Mineral Resources Co, since the beginning of the conflict on April 15, the country has produced about 2 tons of gold. Last year, Sudan officially exported 34.5 tons of gold worth more than 2 billion dollars.
