More than 200 lifeless in mining accident in Democratic Republic of Congo | EUROtoday

As of: January 31, 2026 9:16 a.m

More than 200 individuals have died in a landslide at a big coltan mine within the japanese Democratic Republic of Congo. The space is managed by the militia group M23.

Rebels say greater than 200 individuals have died in a mining accident in North Kivu within the Democratic Republic of Congo. This was introduced by the spokesman for the rebel-appointed provincial governor, Lumumba Kambere Muyisa.

According to eyewitnesses, the primary landslide occurred on the Rubaya coltan mine on Wednesday afternoon. A second one adopted on Thursday morning. “It was raining, then came the landslide that washed people away. Some were buried, others are still in the shafts,” mentioned a miner.

According to Myuisa, the victims embody miners, youngsters and market girls. Some individuals had been rescued with severe accidents. Those near the governor mentioned the variety of confirmed deaths was a minimum of 227.

Mine beneath management of insurgent group M23

Around 15 % of the world’s coltan is mined in Rubaya. The ore is used to provide tantalum, a heat-resistant metallic that’s in excessive demand by producers of cell telephones, computer systems and gasoline generators. Despite its huge wealth of pure sources, the inhabitants of the Democratic Republic of Congo is likely one of the poorest on the earth. On Friday, dozens of women and men might be seen on the mine once more, persevering with their work with easy shovels.

The website, the place the native inhabitants digs by hand for a couple of {dollars} a day, has been beneath the management of the M23 insurgent group since 2024. According to the United Nations, the M23 is looting the mine’s sources to finance its insurgency. She is supported by the federal government of neighboring Rwanda, which the federal government denies.