August M
More than 200 people were killed after part of a coltan mine collapsed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to government officials.
However, the rebel group controlling the mining site has rejected the reported death toll and offered a different explanation for the incident.
The disaster occurred at the Rubaya mining area in North Kivu province, one of the country’s most important coltan production sites.
Congo’s Ministry of Mines said the collapse happened on Tuesday at the Rubaya mines, which are currently controlled by the M23 rebel group. Authorities described the incident as one of the deadliest mining accidents in the region in recent years, reports AP.
Rebels challenge death toll
The M23 rebel movement disputed the government’s account of the disaster.
Fanny Kaj, a senior official in the group, said the incident was caused by “bombings” rather than a landslide and insisted the number of casualties was much lower.
“I can confirm that what people are publishing is not true. There was no landslide; there were bombings, and the death toll isn’t what people are saying. It’s simply about five people who died,” Kaj said.
Witness account
A worker at the site said the number of victims was far higher than the figure given by the rebels.
Miner Ibrahim Taluseke said he helped recover more than 200 bodies from the area following the collapse.
“We are afraid, but these are lives that are in danger,” Taluseke said. “The owners of the pits do not accept that the exact number of deaths be revealed.”
Mineral-rich conflict zone
Rubaya is located in eastern Congo, a region rich in natural resources but affected for decades by armed conflict involving government forces and multiple rebel groups.
The area is a major source of coltan, an ore that contains tantalum, a metal widely used in electronics such as smartphones, computers and aircraft components.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Congo produced about 40% of the world’s coltan in 2023.
Sources: Associated Press, U.S. Geological Survey
