A rebel group reportedly tied to Rwanda has taken control of Rubaya, an eastern Congo mining town renowned for its production of a crucial mineral used in smartphones, according to a statement released Thursday by the group. A spokesperson for the M23 rebel group said the town was “liberated.”
Rubaya is home to tantalum deposits extracted from coltan, a critical component in smartphone production. This mineral was recently highlighted in a letter from Congo’s government querying Apple about its awareness of “blood minerals” being smuggled in its supply chain.
The conflict in eastern Congo, spanning decades, has led to one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. More than 100 armed factions are fighting for dominance over the mineral-rich region bordering Rwanda, with numerous groups accused of perpetrating mass atrocities, including killings and sexual violence. The ongoing violence has displaced approximately 7 million people, many of whom are beyond the reach of humanitarian assistance.
Ernest Singoma, a civil society advocate in Goma, remarked, “The fall of Rubaya is in a way the embodiment of this systemic plundering”.
Escalating clashes between M23 rebels and Congolese military forces in recent months coincide with the United Nations’ plan to withdraw peacekeeping troops from the region by year-end.
According to John Banyene, another civil society advocate, the rebels are advancing toward Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo and the capital of North Kivu province. He noted, “All the supply routes to the city are blocked. We are just getting by.”
Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, a charge echoed by U.N. experts and the U.S. State Department. Rwanda has however denied these allegations.
During a joint press conference with Tshisekedi in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron urged neighbouring Rwanda to cease its backing of the M23 rebel group.
Onesphore Sematumba, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, deemed the capture of Rubaya a significant development in the conflict. “Rubaya has mining deposits, and without doubt, this will allow M23 to exploit them,” he stated.
The M23, also known as the March 23 Movement, predominantly composed of ethnic Tutsis, broke away from the Congolese army over a decade ago. In 2012, they staged a major offensive and seized control of Goma, the provincial capital near the Rwandan border, a city they are now threatening to capture once again.
Melissa Enoch
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