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The looters were assisted by mines’ employees. Together they took the first 50 kilogrammes of gold shortly after their takeover in May. An estimated 100 kilogrammes per month have been lost since then. They also looted about USD 5 million worth of equipment and materials.
Twangiza Mining said recently that M23 rebels occupying its gold concession in the Democratic Republic of Congo have looted at least 500 kilograms of bullion since May. The Rwanda-backed militants staged a lightning offensive earlier this year, seizing swathes of territory.
DRC authorities revealed that the mine, a Chinese-owned Congo-based company, said that the current value of the looted gold was around USD 70 million.
The looters were assisted by mines’ employees. Together they took the first 50 kilogrammes of gold shortly after their takeover in May. An estimated 100 kilogrammes per month have been lost since then. They also looted about USD 5 million worth of equipment and materials.
Twangiza said a drone strike last Wednesday destroyed the site’s power infrastructure, though it remains unclear who was behind the attack. It has declared force majeure and plans to file formal complaints with both the Congolese authorities and international arbitration bodies.
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It also accused the rebels of expelling residents, demolishing churches, and employing Rwandan technicians to extract geological data for expanded mining operations. Eastern Congo sits atop some of the world’s most coveted mineral deposits, which has fuelled decades of fighting between rival militant groups and the Congolese army.
