Latest news with #M23rebels
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
DR Congo rescuers dig with bare hands for trapped miners
People in a gold-mining area in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo have been using their bare hands and basic tools to free miners trapped underground. Six have been pulled out alive, with one seriously injured, since shafts collapsed in Lomera in the early hours of Sunday, local journalist Ashuza Barack told the BBC. There have been conflicting reports on the death toll. One resident said that 12 bodies had been found but Barack said no bodies had been recovered. The area, in South Kivu province, has been under the control of M23 rebels since they captured swathes of DR Congo's mineral-rich east earlier this year. The M23 rejected reports that hundreds were trapped underground. Lomera has witnessed a gold rush since the end of last year when the precious ore was discovered in the hills near what was then a quiet village, according to medical charity MSF. Thousands of people arrived hoping to make money as freelance, or artisanal, miners, turning the area into a "sprawling chaos of mineshafts and makeshift shelters", MSF said in a statement on a cholera outbreak in the area last month. Reports said a series of cascading landslides buried up to 15 of these makeshift shafts without warning. Rescue efforts have slowed as debris and large stones continue to block access. Journalist Barack told the BBC that the lack of proper equipment has hampered attempts to clear the site. Survivors told him that many miners remain stuck. "We've been digging since Sunday night but have not recovered any bodies. We are exhausted," one miner said. Officials from M23 visited the site and ordered mining activities to stop in parts of the area. Dozens of mining sites across this region of DR Congo supply the global electronics industry with vital metals and minerals. Many are not properly regulated and safety standards are not observed. The region has also been hit by conflict for decades as various rebel groups and the government have been fighting over control. The M23 made significant territorial gains earlier this year, capturing Goma, the main city in eastern DR Congo. It signed a ceasefire deal with the government at the weekend in talks brokered by Qatar. You may also be interested in: Inside the Congolese mine vital to mobile phones What's the fighting in DR Congo all about? Ceasefire deal still faces many challenges The evidence that shows Rwanda is backing rebels in DR Congo Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Focus on Africa This Is Africa
The National
4 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Congo and Rwanda-backed rebels sign declaration of principles for a permanent ceasefire in the east
Congo and Rwanda -backed M23 rebels on Saturday signed a declaration of principles in Qatar to end decadeslong fighting in eastern Congo that commits them to a permanent ceasefire and a comprehensive peace agreement to be signed in one month. The truce was agreed in a Declaration of Principles signed by the two sides after three months of talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, which follows a separate Congolese-Rwandan peace deal signed in Washington last month. A final peace deal is to be signed no later than August 18, and such a deal 'shall align with the Peace Agreement between Congo and Rwanda', the declaration said. "The Parties commit to uphold their commitment to a permanent ceasefire," including refraining from "hate propaganda" and "any attempt to seize by force new positions", a statement said. It is the first direct commitment by both Congo and the rebels since they seized two key cities in eastern Congo in a major advance. The M23, which seized vast swathes of mineral-rich territory in eastern DRC in a lightning offensive in January and February, had insisted on seeking its own ceasefire deal with Kinshasa. The group is the most prominent of more than 100 armed groups fighting for control in Congo's mineral-rich east. It said the Washington deal left out various "problems" that still needed to be addressed. The warring parties agreed to open negotiations on a comprehensive peace agreement. The deal also includes a road map for restoring state authority in eastern DRC. Eastern DRC has been racked by conflict for more than three decades. With seven million people displaced in Congo, the UN has called the conflict in eastern Congo 'one of the most protracted, complex, serious humanitarian crises on Earth". The front line had stabilised since February, but fighting was still breaking out regularly between the M23 and multiple pro-government militias. The African Union the ceasefire was a "significant development". "This... marks a major milestone in the continuing efforts to achieve lasting peace, security, and stability in eastern DRC and the wider Great Lakes region," African Union chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said in a statement.
Al Jazeera
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
UN experts cast blame on Rwanda and Uganda. What are they doing in DRC?
Kampala, Uganda – Rwanda is in 'command and control' of M23 rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda has 'unilaterally doubled its military presence' in the DRC, and armed groups – including those aligned to the Congolese government – are committing rights violations against civilians, according to a group of United Nations experts. An as-yet unpublished report from UN experts on DRC that was leaked to the media and seen by Al Jazeera describes violations by all parties to the conflict and blames neighbouring governments for allegedly exploiting and escalating the current crisis. The report was submitted to the UN Security Council in May, the Reuters news agency reported. It is expected to be released soon, a UN expert who contributed to the report told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity, without specifying a date. While analysts see these reports as an essential tool of accountability, Kigali and Kampala have called the experts biased. Neither government replied to Al Jazeera's request for comment about the contents of the report, but both have repeatedly denied the accusations levelled against them. Meanwhile, the new findings risk putting a damper on the cautious optimism garnered by the signing of a peace deal between Rwanda and the DRC in the US last month, and ongoing Qatar-mediated peace talks between Kinshasa and M23. Rwanda's 'instruction', control of resources For years, M23, which the UN says is backed by Rwanda – a charge Kigali denies – has been embroiled in conflict with the Congolese army and its allied militias known as Wazalendo. Early this year, M23 made rapid advances, seizing control of Goma and Bukavu, the capitals of North Kivu and South Kivu, respectively, which it still holds today. The latest UN experts report – the first since M23's advance – offers a stark assessment of the conflict, placing blame on Rwanda for facilitating the rapid expansion of the rebel forces. Rwanda is providing 'critical support' to M23, which takes 'instructions' from Rwanda's government and intelligence services, said the report. In previous reports, the UN experts found there were some 3,000-4,000 Rwandan troops fighting alongside M23 in the DRC. 'One week prior to the [M23] Goma attack, Rwandan officials confidentially informed the Group [of experts] that President Paul Kagame had decided to imminently take control of Goma and Bukavu,' the new report alleged. Rwanda has repeatedly denied backing M23, while Kigali has sharply criticised the UN experts. 'These reports were written long ago,' President Paul Kagame said at a news conference in Kigali on July 4, after the contents of the report started circulating in international media. 'They come here just to confirm a narrative they already had,' the Rwandan leader said about the UN panel of experts. Kagame likened the experts to an arsonist who torches a house but also acts as both judge and prosecutor. 'The very ones who burned the [house] are the ones in the seat to judge and prosecute.' The report by UN experts, however, only reasserted its criticism of Kigali. The Rwandan army's 'de facto direction and effective control' over M23's operations 'render Rwanda liable for the actions' of the group, the report said, arguing that Rwanda's conduct meets the threshold for international sanctions. Last month's US-brokered deal between the DRC and Rwanda does not include M23, but it stipulates that all parties should comply with the Qatar peace process. It also highlights that the Congolese government should facilitate the disengagement of the armed group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which was established by Hutus linked to the killings of Tutsis in the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Rwanda should then lift its 'defensive measures' inside the DRC, the agreement said. While Kigali has often argued that its actions in the DRC are aimed at addressing longstanding security threats posed by the FDLR, the UN experts assert that its actions went far beyond legitimate security concerns. The experts noted that 'the final objective of Kigali was to control the territory of the DRC and its natural resources.' Their report details how minerals, including coltan, were looted from mines in towns seized by M23, then smuggled into Rwanda. 'Once in Rwanda, the looted minerals were mixed with local production, effectively laundering them into the downstream supply chain under the guise of Rwandan origin,' the report said. Part of the minerals smuggled to Rwanda were purchased by Boss Mining Solutions Inc, represented by Eddy Habimana, who has previously been implicated in the illegal trafficking of minerals from the DRC, the report added. Uganda 'doubles' military footprint Beyond Rwanda, the report also outlines violations of international law by another neighbour, Uganda. Amid the Rwanda/M23–DRC fighting, there was a 'rapid military build-up' by the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, the report said. Troops significantly increased this year 'effectively doubling Uganda's footprint in the country', it added. The Ugandan army, which has conducted joint operations with the Congolese military against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel movement with origins in Uganda, since 2023, 'unilaterally' increased its troop presence in eastern DRC, the report added. 'The DRC government confirmed that the new UPDF deployment was executed without its prior approval, and that UPDF was undertaking unilateral initiatives outside the framework of joint operations with the [Congolese army],' the report read. The deployment, according to the panel of experts, raised questions about Kampala's motives, particularly given past allegations of UPDF support to M23. While Uganda claimed the troop movements were defensive and aimed at securing its economic interests, the report says their positioning created a de facto buffer zone that shielded M23 from northern counterattacks. In response, Uganda's ambassador to the UN, Adonia Ayebare, wrote on X that the report 'contains falsehoods' and attempts to undermine the joint military operation with the DRC. He said Uganda will make an official statement after publication of the report. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda's army commander also posted on X, saying: 'While the UN so called 'Group of Experts' writes biased reports against us, we (UPDF) continue to save the lives of human beings in our region.' The report by the UN experts had called out 'repeated incendiary public statements' by Kainerugaba in which they said he emphasised close cooperation between the UPDF and the Rwandan army. The report also accused Thomas Lubanga, a former ICC convict living in Kampala, of forming a politico-military movement to oppose the Congolese government, 'with at least moral and passive endorsement from the Ugandan authorities'. However, addressing journalists in Kampala on July 16, Lubanga said he is in forced exile because of persecution by Kinshasa, and if his movement had been receiving support from Uganda, it 'would find itself on Kinshasa's doorstep today'. Ugandan, Rwandan interests in DRC Kristof Titeca, a professor at the University of Antwerp who recently published a report on Uganda's operations in DRC, urges readers to view the UN report and the backlash it has provoked in the context of regional dynamics. Kigali and Kampala share overlapping interests in the DRC – chiefly concerning security, political influence, and economic access – but these interests also place them in a complex relationship of both cooperation and competition, he said. Titeca argues that the resurgence and rapid expansion of M23 was, in part, triggered by Kigali's fear that Kampala might encroach on its influence in eastern DRC after Uganda allowed its soldiers to enter DRC in pursuit of the ADF. As M23 gained ground towards the end of 2024, Uganda reacted with troop deployments, particularly aimed at preventing the rebels – and by extension, Rwanda – from entering areas it sees as its sphere of interest. Titeca says the military manoeuvres were as much a strategic message to Rwanda as they were about protecting Ugandan interests. Drawing from movements and postures observed since late 2024, Titeca suggests that Kigali and Kampala may have an implicit understanding of their respective zones of influence. 'Some people think there might be some agreement between Kampala and Kigali on their area of interest,' he said. In eastern DRC, 'they are friends and also enemies at the same time,' he added, referring to Uganda and Rwanda. Kinshasa's violations For the UN experts, Kinshasa bears some responsibility, too. On the Congolese side, the report paints a picture of a state under siege, struggling to maintain sovereignty over its eastern territories. The government continued to rely heavily on irregular Wazalendo groups, and on the FDLR, despite the latter being under UN sanctions, as proxies in its fight against M23 and the Rwandan army. While strategic, the report says, this alliance has worsened the security and human rights situation, contributing to reprisal attacks, child recruitment and sexual violence. As it called out M23's actions during the taking of Goma and Bukavu, the report also documented a pattern of grave international humanitarian law and rights violations – including looting, sexual violence, and killings – by retreating Congolese soldiers and Wazalendo fighters at the same time. 'These abuses occurred in a climate of impunity, in the general context of a weakening chain of command,' it said. Al Jazeera sought a response to these claims from the Congolese government, but received no reply. In dismissing the report, the Rwandan president accused the panel of perpetuating a biased narrative against Kigali and of ignoring Congolese government complicity with the FDLR, which he says continues to spread anti-Tutsi views that led to the 1994 genocide. 'All the reports, 75 percent of them, blame AFC/M23 and Rwanda,' Kagame said at the July 4 news conference. 'You will find they never write anything comprehensive about FDLR or how Congolese institutions spread hate and genocide ideology. How can experts not see that?' Speaking to Al Jazeera, Rwandan analyst Thierry Gatete echoed Kagame's criticisms, questioning the credibility of the UN panel and alleging that they rarely conduct field research. 'They sit in New York or Paris and rely on testimonies from Congolese officials or FDLR sympathisers,' he said. The report notes that Rwanda denied the group of experts access to Kigali. However, Gatete says Rwanda initially cooperated with the panel but later gave up because the reports were consistently biased and, in his view, inconsequential. 'Nobody takes what they write seriously,' he said. While Rwanda and Uganda view the UN reports as biased, others see them as essential tools for accountability. Stewart Muhindo, a researcher with Congolese civil society group LUCHA, said the panel provides critical evidence that challenges both state and non-state actors. 'The panel tells hard truths,' he noted, pointing out that the report also criticises the DRC government for its continued collaboration with the FDLR, despite promises to end the alliance. 'It's not just about blaming Rwanda.' Muhindo also agrees with UN experts that the DRC's reliance on Wazalendo fighters has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis. These irregular forces, though not sanctioned like the FDLR, have been implicated in atrocities, including attacks on civilians and the recruitment of child soldiers, he said. 'Despite ongoing peacemaking initiatives, efforts to stabilise the region continue to face significant challenges,' the UN experts said in the report. 'Civilians bore the brunt of the conflict, enduring widespread displacement, insecurity, and grave violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.'
BBC News
13-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Inside DR Congo mine wey dey power mobile phones
M23 rebels for eastern Democratic Republic of Congo recently let di BBC enta one huge mining site wey dey under dia control. Di mine dey comot mineral wey be di koko to di production of all di mobile phones for world. Thousands of miners dey di area wey dey covered wit pits and tunnel and no bodi just dey siddon look. Some dey underground dey dig ore wit shovels, odas go come carry di rock wey get coltan go wia oda pipo dey wait dem for assembly points to wash and filter am wit spades and by hand. Coltan na wetin dem dey take make many electronic devices. Patrice Musafiri wey be fi pesin wey dey supervise di Rubaya mining site since di rebels take ova, tok say, "we normally get ova 10,000 pipo wey dey work for here daily". To waka inside na wahala - our team need to get walking stick and oga Musafiri help so we no go fall but na di only life wey many of dis men don see no mata how dangerous, One mineworker Peter Osiasi tell BBC say, "wen we enta deep for di mines temperatures fit dey very high... digging di mineral dey very hard... plus oda harmful gases dey inside. Sometimes dem dey pump cold air inside so we go still dey work", but e insist say, "mining don really help me". E don dey do mining for five years and wit di work save money for dowry so now na married man wit pikin. Di mine dey for di Masisi Hills of North Kivu province and get 15% of di world supply of coltan and also get half di total deposits for DR Congo. E don make all di plenti armed groups plus di army wey don run am ova di years serious money. We enta di mine days afta dem sign ceasefire deal between DR Congo and Rwanda for Washington as part of process to end di 30 years of kasala for di region. But dem no carry di M23 rebels follow bodi for di deal. And na di rebels dey contrl large parts of eastern DR COngo including two airports. Di US chook mouth ontop say dem go get access to DRC mineral resources but dem neva specify di koko of dat expectation. For our short visit, dem give us access for like 45 minites, sign no show say di chain of command dey change. Di supervisor wey a M23 put dia explain di set up for Rubaya and how dem reorganize am in one year pluis how di rebel group bring security so di miners go fit work witout fear as im torchlight say dem no dey allow armed men inside site. E say, "presently we get mining department wey dey regulate and monitor safety issues and also dey fix internal kasala for di mines. If tunnel bicom dangerous, dem go tell pipo to comot so accident no go dey". E add say, "different groups of pipo dey come hia come mine evri day and odas dey come buy minerals and noe we get big market for Goma to seel wetin dem buy from hia." For December, UN sabi pipo report how di M23 dey make hundreds of thousands of dollars evri month by say dem tax coltan and dey send most of di money go Rwanda, but M23 and Kigali deny am. Oga Osiasi gree say conditions don beta for mine, even though workers need buy permits to work for mine. DI miner say, "business dey go well hia bicos we get wetin resemble peace, but di pay dey low. Dem dey pay us chikini money". Trump second term in office match wit wen di M23 seize most of di North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Political analyst Akramm Tumsifu say DR Congo decide to use dia mineral reseves to take get US assistance as dem dey find military support. E say now di Congolese authories get hope say American firms go bring ogbonge investments come dia mining sector as at now na Chinese companies dey dominate. Tori be say some US companies dey try look around to see weda dem go fit invest for di Rubaya mines Di Rubaya supervisor tell us say investment dey welcome but dem go only allow di ones wey go boost local economy wit work, schools and hospitals. Oga Musafiri add say "any foreign investor fit come, as long as dem bring development for we pipo and increase in miner daily pay". Even wit di kontri ogbonge natural resources, most mining communities no get beta infrastructure. Dem no even get accessible road to enta di mines. Oga Tumsifu reason say American investors fit "caution against kasala or for oda armed groups to chook head." But M23 still get control of di east so e no clear who investor go follow work with. Qatar dey lead anoda mediation in di coming months wey fit clear tins. Dis oen na between di armed groups and di Congolese goment. Di M23 wey dey part of di Congo River Alliance say di Washington deal no enta di koko of wetin don cause dis long kasala as dem say dem carry gun to protect di minority Tutsi group for DRC. As evribodi just dey tok dia own for top, di pipo for ground wey wan make all di fighting wey don ill and pursue hundreds of thousands of pipo form dia house. Oga Osiasi tok say, "my own be say I wan beg young men and our leaders make dem keep peace for our area. I also wan beg di owners of di mines to increase our money bicos e too small". Additional reporting by di BBC's Robert Kiptoo and Hassan Lali
BBC News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Wafcon return provides 'hope' in eastern DR Congo
After a surge in violence in the country this year, playing at the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) has taken on a deeper meaning for players and supporters of DR to the tournament for the first time since 2012, the Leopardesses have provided a brief opportunity for the nation to forget about the devastating conflict that has afflicted its eastern provinces for offensive which M23 rebels launched in January garnered international attention, and their swift advance saw them take control of territory which holds deposits of valuable rare earth is overwhelming evidence that Rwanda, DR Congo's neighbour, is backing the M23 but the government in Kigali denies providing the group with financial or military support.A peace deal which DR Congo and Rwanda signed at the end of June has offered hope that the region can start a new chapter. This month in Morocco, Congolese footballers have also been looking to give their compatriots something to cheer."Seeing the victims - children, mothers, fathers who've lost loved ones, and families torn apart - was heartbreaking," midfielder Marlene Yav Kasaj told BBC Sport Africa."It's been hard to cope with."For me, the support I offer is simple: when I'm on the pitch I feel compelled to win, even if it's just to bring a small moment of happiness to our people."The peace deal, signed in Washington DC, demanded the "disengagement, disarmament and conditional integration" of armed groups fighting in the east of DR the government in Kinshasa remains in negotiations with the M23 about a in some of the worst-affected regions, a traumatised local population continues to search for Joseph, a supporter attending his country's first group game against Senegal in Mohammedia, told BBC Sport Africa that football "is a kind of hope for the people that live in this part of the country". Finding relief The United Nations says thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands of civilians forced from their homes following the rebel offensive. The M23 disputes the figures, saying fewer than 1,000 people have the capital of North Kivu province, bore the brunt of some of the worst fighting at the start of this year and remains under rebel resident of the city told the BBC their experiences have had a "profound psychological impact"."The traumatic events we witnessed in January, with bodies lying in the streets, military effects scattered everywhere, people being killed indiscriminately and the stench of decomposing corpses, left us disturbed," the contributor, who chose to remain anonymous, alongside having to deal with the consequences of the presence of troops in Goma, they said the chance to cheer on their team at Wafcon offered "an opportunity to regain national pride and glory"."It would be a chance for us to marvel and momentarily escape the trauma that Goma has endured," they Kasaj, who plays for Lubumbashi-based TP Mazembe, the country's biggest club, has been personally affected by the conflict."Hearing about it from afar is one thing, but when family and friends are caught up in situations like this, you can't ignore it. You feel out of sorts," the 22-year-old midfielder admitted."I lost a friend there; she was a war victim. We're committed to fighting for the joy of everyone in Goma." 'Our sympathies are with them' The situation in eastern DR Congo has fallen down the international news agenda, with the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Gaza conflict garnering more lack of focus is something that has previously inspired the nation's footballers to use their platform to push for Congo's men made a high-profile appeal to end the violence at last year's Africa Cup of Nations, making a unified gesture when lining up for their national anthem ahead of a semi-final defeat against hosts Ivory Leopardesses, however, do not look likely to repeat that on-field success and have also had to deal with a dispute over pay and lost their opening two games to Senegal and hosts Morocco, conceding four goals in both matches, but forward Olga Massombo says the side remain motivated to perform."Our parents, our sisters back home are going through war, men and women there are still fighting," she said."Us coming here is an honour. Obviously losing these matches we know we might have let them down, but the goal is to progress."When I'm talking about progress, it is not just about us a team but [for] the whole country to get better."Our sympathies are always with them and we represent everyone back home. We know what they are going through. It is only right for us to give everything we have." 'The pain of loss lingers' Celia, another fan who has been in attendance, believes the players have been unable to switch off from the many problems both at home and in the build-up to Wafcon."They've put all their efforts into the game, but they haven't been able to focus on that," she said after the 4-2 defeat by Morocco in Rabat."We know there is a problem in the east. We had to do our best for the blood that flows over our country."In December, the men's team will make their own journey to Morocco to take part in the 2025 Nations says the fans in the stadiums will continue to make themselves heard."As a country we are giving all our energy behind our national teams, both women and men," he said."With the recent accord that has been signed between the United States, Rwanda and DR Congo we hope that things are going to be better and we can get a ceasefire and open a humanitarian corridor for the people that are suffering."DR Congo must win their final Group A fixture against Zambia – and by a large margin given their goal difference of minus six – to stand any chance of reaching the quarter-finals as one of the best-ranked third place of the tournament, Yav Kasaj said the team had "done what we can" by qualifying."While some might say the DRC has won, the pain of loss lingers," she explained."We're growing up in a reality where people are dying, and we're constantly troubled."
