More than 200 people, including at least 70 children, have been killed after a landslide triggered a collapse at a mining site in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the government says.
The disaster struck on Tuesday in Rubaya, the country’s largest source of coltan — a mineral widely used in the electronics industry — after heavy rains caused the ground to give way in the rebel-controlled area.
In a statement, the mines ministry blamed the tragedy on M23 rebels, accusing them of allowing illegal mining operations to continue without proper safety standards.
The rebel group has not commented on the accusation. However, a source in Rubaya told the media the collapse was the result of attacks by government forces and claimed only six people had died. Authorities in Kinshasa have not responded to that claim.
Rubaya’s mines are believed to contain around 15% of the world’s coltan supply and about half of the country’s total reserves. The ore contains tantalum, a metal used to manufacture high-performance capacitors found in many electronic devices, making it highly sought after globally.
Since 2024, the M23 has controlled Rubaya, located about 70km (45 miles) west of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.
Officials said rescue operations have been hampered by dangerous conditions and restrictions imposed by the rebels, which they say have limited access to the site. The mines ministry added that the absence of official oversight had left miners without basic safety protections.
“The provisional toll counts more than 200 compatriots who lost their lives, including 70 children, and numerous wounded,” the ministry said.
The media has not been able to independently verify the death toll in the remote area, where humanitarian organisations and major medical facilities have little access and telecommunications are often disrupted.
Several injured miners have reportedly been taken to hospitals in Goma.
The Congolese government says it banned mining at the site last year, though rebels had already seized control of the area by then.
When a media team visited Rubaya in July 2025, miners were seen digging by hand in dangerous conditions, with deep, unstable pits scattered across the vast site.
Over the past year, the M23 has rapidly expanded its control across the mineral-rich east of the country, capturing several mining areas.
UN experts say there is evidence that minerals from eastern DR Congo are being smuggled through Rwanda, which they accuse of backing the M23. Rwanda denies supporting the group.
The United States this week imposed sanctions on the Rwandan army and four of its senior commanders over alleged involvement in the conflict.
Rubaya has also reportedly been included in a shortlist of mining assets offered by the Congolese government to the US under a minerals cooperation framework, according to the news.
A similar landslide at the same site in late January, also triggered by heavy rainfall, reportedly killed more than 200 people.
