Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
A landslide at a major coltan mining site in eastern Congo earlier this week caused the collapse of several mine shafts and killed at least 200 people, rebel authorities said on Saturday.
Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, spokesman for the rebel-appointed governor of North Kivu province, told The Associated Press that the collapse occurred on Wednesday at the Rubaya mine, which is controlled by the M23 rebels. He said the landslide was caused by heavy rains.
“More than 200 people have died so far, and some of them are still stuck in the mud and have not yet been rescued,” Muisa said. He added that several others were injured and taken to three medical facilities in the town of Rubaya, and ambulances were expected to transfer the injured on Saturday to the nearest city of Goma, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) away.
rebel-appointed governor north Muisa said Kivu province had temporarily halted artisanal mining at the site and ordered the relocation of residents who had built shelters near the mine.
Rubaya is located in the heart of eastern Congo, a mineral-rich region of the Central African country that has been torn apart by violence for decades by government forces and various armed groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23 movement, whose recent resurgence has escalated the conflict and exacerbated an already severe humanitarian crisis.
Tantalum is a rare metal extracted from coltan and is a key ingredient in the production of smartphones, computers and aircraft engines. More than 15% of the world’s tantalum supply comes from the Rubaya region.
In May 2024, the M23 captured the town and took control of the mines within it. Since seizing Rubaya, rebels have taxed the trade and transportation of coltan, generating at least $800,000 a month, according to a U.N. report.
Eastern Congo has been in crisis for decades. Conflicts have created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, displacing more than 7 million people, including 100,000 who have fled their homes this year.
Despite an agreement signed between Congo and Congo Rwanda Fighting continues on multiple fronts in eastern Congo amid ongoing negotiations between the U.S.-brokered government and rebels and Congo, continuing to take a heavy toll on civilian and military casualties.
The agreement between Congo and Rwanda also provides the U.S. government and U.S. companies with access to critical minerals.
————