The disaster occurred on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at the Luwowo mining site, in the Matanda grouping, Luundje locality, in the Gasasa agglomeration. Occupied since April 2024 by the M23 rebels, supported by Rwanda, the Kinshasa authorities have placed the area under red status. In its statement, the government stressed that it classified the Rubaya mining area as ‘red.’ It added, “This classification prohibits all mining and marketing activities involving mineral substances, including artisanal mining. Three days after a landslide at the Luwowo mining site, artisanal miners resumed operations at other mining sites in the area due to widespread poverty. Keywords: DRC, Congo, mine, Rubaya, mining, human rights, Congolese, M23, rebels, mineral war, peace, conflict, conflict resolution

Source: Ethiopian News February 06, 2026 07:36 UTC