Congo rebels loot $70M in gold from Twangiza mine

[Redator]

Rebels occupying Twangiza Mining’s gold concession in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have reportedly looted at least 500 kilograms of bullion, worth about $70 million at current prices, the company said.

Twangiza claims that some of its own employees have helped the M23 rebel group transport gold from the site shortly after the mine was seized in May.

“With the help of some employees, they transported the first batch of more than 50 kg of gold out in a very short time,” Twangiza Mining told Reuters. ”Since the occupation, they have obtained at least 500kg of gold and secretly transported it through underground channels”.

The gold mine, located in South Kivu province, fell under M23 control five months ago after weeks of escalating conflict in the region. Twangiza says it has lost more than 100 kg of gold a month since then, along with $5 million worth of equipment and materials. The company has declared force majeure and plans to file complaints with Congolese authorities and international arbitration bodies.

A drone strike on October 15 destroyed the mine’s power infrastructure. Responsibility for the attack remains unclear.

The M23 group, an ethnic Tutsi-led militia allegedly backed by Rwanda, launched a major offensive early this year, seizing key cities including Goma and Bukavu. Congo’s government says more than 7,000 people were killed in eastern DRC just in the first half of 2025.

The mineral-rich region remains a flashpoint in the long-running rivalry between Congo and Rwanda. DRC is the world’s largest cobalt producer, Africa’s leading copper exporter, and a major source of tantalum, tin, tungsten and coltan, all of which are critical to global electronics and green technologies.

Behind the peace deal

A US-led peace initiative between Rwanda and the DRC, inked in June, aimed to stabilise eastern Congo and attract Western mining investment. But a new report released Tuesday suggests the deal is less about peace and more about securing US access to Congolese minerals.

Researchers found that Rwanda’s tantalum exports to the US rose 15-fold between 2013 and 2018, despite Rwanda’s limited production capacity. This surge followed Washington’s decision to lift sanctions after the 2012 M23 rebellion. The study argues that the latest agreement legitimises smuggling routes through Rwanda while strengthening US-backed infrastructure projects such as the $553 million Lobito Corridor.

Several mining deals along these two routes are already being negotiated by a number of US firms, including some backed by high-profile billionaires like Bill Gates and figures tied to the US military and intelligence community, the report says.

It also warns that the arrangement enriches US corporations and Rwandan elites while leaving Congolese communities to absorb the environmental and human costs. More than 1,000 civilians have been killed since the deal’s signing, raising doubts about its effectiveness.

Rwanda and Congo missed an August deadline to ratify the accord, blaming each other for the delay. Both sides agreed last week to create a monitoring mechanism for an eventual ceasefire.