Rebel Forces Seize Coltan Mining Town in Eastern DR Congo
The town of Rubaya, a crucial hub for mining coltan, a vital component in mobile phone production, has been captured by rebel forces in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to their spokesperson, Willy Ngoma.
M23 fighters took control of Rubaya on Tuesday after intense clashes with government troops, Ngoma confirmed. While the government has yet to respond, a civil society activist verified the takeover by M23, underscoring the strategic significance of the town.
The seizure occurred on the same day that French President Emmanuel Macron urged neighboring Rwanda to cease its alleged support for the M23 rebel group. Macron’s call came after discussions with DR Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi in Paris.
Rwanda has consistently denied any involvement with the rebels, who have gained control over significant territories in the mineral-rich eastern region over the past 18 months. DR Congo stands as the world’s second-largest coltan producer, with much of the mineral sourced from mines surrounding Rubaya in the Masisi district. Coltan finds application in the manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles and mobile phones.
According to Ngoma, the M23’s capture of Rubaya aims to repel their perceived adversaries rather than solely exploit its mineral wealth.
Voltaire Sadiki, a civil society activist in Masisi, reported that the rebels have instructed civilians to surrender their firearms and resume normal life under their rule.
Initially comprised of Congolese army deserters, the M23 rebels accuse the government of marginalizing the country’s ethnic Tutsi minority and refusing to engage in negotiations. They consider the lush hills surrounding Masisi as their ancestral territory.
President Tshisekedi views the rebels as a proxy for what he labels Rwanda’s “expansionist ambitions,” a claim vehemently denied by Kigali.
