On July 3rd, a militia group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo (DRC), attacked a gold mine in the northeast of the country, resulting in the deaths of six Chinese miners and two Congolese soldiers. This is the latest violent attack in the region.
According to reports from the Associated Press, the target of this attack was the Gbala village in Ituri Province and the nearby “Camp Blanquette” gold mine.
The militia group responsible for the attack has been identified as the “Development Cooperation of the Congo” (CODECO).
The eastern region of the Congo is rich in mineral resources, and for the past decade, the government forces have been in continuous conflict with over 120 armed groups, with escalated conflicts in recent months. Militia groups in the region often launch violent attacks, including bombings targeting civilians, to compete for control of gold mines and other resources.
On Wednesday, members of the militia group set fire to residential homes in the area before attacking the gold mine. According to Jean Robert Basiloko, a member of a local civil organization, the gold mine was guarded by the “Zaire Militia,” which is in opposition to the Development Cooperation of the Congo.
Six Chinese miners and two Congolese soldiers lost their lives in the attack, while two miners were abducted and remain missing.
The “Development Cooperation of the Congo” is a loose alliance formed by various militia groups, with members mainly from the Lendu ethnic farming communities. The “Zaire Militia” was originally a faction of this organization but later turned against its former allies.
According to a report from the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), in the four years leading up to 2022, attacks by the “Development Cooperation of the Congo” have resulted in 1,800 deaths and over 500 injuries. The United Nations has stated that these attacks may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In 2021, the DRC joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative. In recent years, conflicts over gold mining between locals and Chinese mining companies have been frequent in the region.
Reports from the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre indicate that on September 1, 2023, in the Ngandja area of Fizi Territory, South Kivu Province, four individuals, including two Chinese citizens, were shot dead by unidentified armed individuals. The victims were representatives of a Chinese mining company in Mwenga.
On July 14, 2022, in the Cabog gold mining area of Mwenga, South Kivu Province, a Congolese employee of the Eastern Congo Resources Company (ORC) was shot dead, and another person was severely injured.
During the incident, more than ten mining companies in the area had suspended operations due to complaints from the local population and communities. The attacked mining company had been granted permission to resume mining, but protests continue, with locals alleging that Chinese mining activities pose a threat to local security.