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In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, mining revenue is helping to fund rebel groups

December 6, 2025

Two rebel groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the M23 and Congo River Alliance, have formed an alliance and seized control of major cities including Goma and Bukavu, establishing a parallel government. According to an Oakland Institute report, these rebel groups, backed by Rwanda, are funding their military operations by taking over mineral-rich mining areas containing gold, coltan, tin, and other valuable resources throughout North and South Kivu provinces. While rebel leaders claim they are fighting for their country rather than minerals, evidence suggests Rwanda's strategic goal is controlling DRC's natural resources, with the rebels smuggling hundreds of tons of coltan to Rwanda and generating approximately $800,000 monthly through mining taxes.

Who is affected

  • Over six million people who have died in the conflict
  • Millions of displaced people in eastern DRC
  • Local populations in mineral-rich areas of North and South Kivu
  • Victims of widespread rapes, massacres, and torture
  • The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC)
  • DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and his government
  • Chinese investors who abandoned the Twangiza Mining site
  • Canadian consortium (original owners of Twangiza Mining)

What action is being taken

  • The AFC and M23 alliance is controlling mining operations in seized territories
  • The rebel groups are taxing coltan production and trade, generating approximately $800,000 per month
  • The M23 is smuggling coltan to Rwanda (up to 120 tons monthly in 2025)
  • The FARDC is trying to quell the rebel movement
  • Congolese authorities are denouncing Rwanda before international bodies including the United Nations and European Union
  • KoBold Metal is exporting lithium from Manono's deposits through a deal with AVZ Minerals

Why it matters

  • This conflict represents a humanitarian catastrophe with over six million deaths and millions displaced, while also highlighting how control of valuable mineral resources (coltan, gold, tin, lithium, tantalum, and tungsten) fuels ongoing warfare in the region. The alliance between rebel groups, backed by Rwanda, threatens DRC's territorial integrity and sovereignty while enabling large-scale resource extraction and smuggling that funds further violence. The situation has broader international implications as these minerals are critical for global technology supply chains, and the conflict demonstrates how foreign powers can exploit resource-rich regions, perpetuating cycles of violence and instability in central Africa.

What's next

  • The UN is expected to ensure strict enforcement of peace agreements and related resolutions
  • Implementation of the framework peace agreement signed with Doha, Qatar in November 2025 between M23 rebels and the DRC government
  • Potential continued mediation efforts by the Trump administration

Read full article from source: Global Voices