Rwanda-Backed M23 Rebels Loot $70M in Gold from Congo Mine

KINSHASA — As instability deepens in eastern Congo, a shocking new revelation has surfaced: M23 rebels, widely documented as backed by Rwanda, have looted an estimated $70 million worth of gold from a Congolese mine since May 2025, according to a formal statement from Twangiza Mining.

The gold, weighing over 500 kilograms, was allegedly extracted from the Twangiza concession in South Kivu, an area seized earlier this year during M23’s rapid territorial advance. The mine’s Chinese-Congolese operators told Reuters that the rebels, with help from insiders, smuggled out gold monthly, destroying infrastructure and cutting off communication with more than 150 trapped workers.

Congo’s Wealth, Rwanda’s Proxy War?

This latest looting scandal adds fuel to ongoing international accusations that Rwanda, under President Paul Kagame, is using the M23 rebel group to control and exploit the DRC’s mineral wealth, a claim repeatedly confirmed by U.N. experts, but consistently denied by Kigali.

“The rebels expelled residents, destroyed churches, and brought in Rwandan technicians to restart extraction operations,” said Twangiza Mining, describing a systematic takeover of the concession.

While M23 declined to comment, the Congolese government is expected to raise the issue at the next regional mediation round. Rwanda has yet to respond to this latest allegation, even as diplomatic pressure mounts following a failed August peace deadline.

Beyond Armed Conflict: Economic Sabotage

The scale of the theft is alarming. Twangiza Mining confirmed losses of:

• >100 kg of gold monthly since May

• $5 million in equipment and infrastructure

• Drone strikes (unclaimed) that crippled power generation at the site

• Complete communication loss with workers trapped inside the rebel-held zone

International Arbitration, Accountability Incoming

Twangiza Mining is preparing a formal international legal complaint, calling for:

• Arbitration proceedings

• Compensation for losses

• Sanctions against non-state actors financing or facilitating M23’s operations

Their accusations align with prior U.N. Security Council findings that M23 collects $300,000/month in illicit taxes from Rubaya’s coltan fields, a vital supply chain node for the global tech industry.

A Crisis of Silence and Denial

The Kagame regime has repeatedly denied backing the M23, but evidence from U.N. panels, regional intelligence, and mining sector reports continues to paint a damning picture. The international community faces a choice: continue enabling silence, or act to safeguard Congo’s resources from transnational armed exploitation.

Where Is the Peace?

Attempts at mediation have stalled:

• A Trump-brokered peace deal in June offered temporary diplomatic relief

• Qatar-hosted talks missed the August deadline for a ceasefire

• On October 14, both sides agreed to a monitoring mechanism, but no disarmament or territorial withdrawal has occurred

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands remain displaced, and Congolese resources are systematically looted in broad daylight.

Opnion

"What’s happening in Twangiza is not just illegal, it’s the theft of Congo’s future. Each kilogram of gold stolen funds more chaos and undermines regional peace. The world must stop turning a blind eye.