The Democratic Republic of Congo’s government says it fears at least 200 people have been killed in a massive landslide at the Rubaya coltan mine in North Kivu province. In a statement on Sunday, the communications ministry said it was deeply dismayed by the disaster at the mine, which is controlled by the M23 armed group in the country’s east.
According to information obtained by AFP, part of a hillside at the mine collapsed on Wednesday afternoon, followed by a second landslide on Thursday morning. The M23-appointed governor of North Kivu, Eraston Bahati Musanga, who visited Rubaya on Friday, said at least 200 bodies had been recovered, though the exact number remains unclear. Phone networks have been down in the area for days, making it difficult to verify the death toll, while injured survivors are being treated at poorly equipped local health centres.
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The Rubaya mine produces between 15 and 30 percent of the world’s supply of coltan, used in electronic devices, and employs thousands of artisanal miners working in dangerous conditions. The M23 seized the mine in April 2024, and the Congolese government has blamed the tragedy on what it described as armed occupation and organised looting by the Rwanda-backed group, an allegation Rwanda denies.
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