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DAKAR: Rebels occupying Twangiza Mining’s gold concession in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have looted at least 500 kilograms of bullion since May, the company told Reuters, accusing some of its own employees of aiding the theft.
At current prices, the looted gold is worth around $70 million.
The mine is located in South Kivu province, where Rwandan-backed M23 rebels staged a lightning offensive this year that allowed them to seize more territory than ever before. They seized the mine in May.
“With the help of some employees, they transported the first batch of more than 50 kg of gold out in a very short time,” Twangiza Mining said on Monday in a written response to Reuters’ queries about losses since M23 seized the mine.
“Since the occupation, they have obtained at least 500kg of gold and secretly transported it through underground channels,” the company said.
M23 did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Twangiza Mining, which is headquartered in Congo and describes itself as a Chinese firm, said it lost over 100 kg of gold a month since the takeover, in addition to $5 million worth of equipment and materials.
The company is preparing to file a formal complaint with international arbitration and Congolese authorities, and has declared force majeure, it said.
It accused the rebels of expelling residents, demolishing churches and using Rwandan technicians to extract geological data to resume and expand mining.
“There are more than 150 workers left on site. We cannot get in touch with them,” the company said.
The Rwandan government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A drone strike on October 15 destroyed power generation infrastructure at the mine. It is not clear who was responsible for the drone strike.
Fighting in eastern Congo has killed thousands of people and displaced hundreds of thousands this year.
Armed groups have seized several mining sites in the mineral-rich eastern Congo, according to UN investigators.
A UN Security Council briefing last year said M23 rebels were earning around $300,000 monthly from mineral taxes in the coltan-rich Rubaya region.
US President Donald Trump brokered a peace deal between Congo and Rwanda in June as part of an effort to stabilize eastern Congo and bring in Western mining investments.
Rwanda has consistently denied backing M23 rebels, despite repeated allegations from UN experts and regional governments. Qatar has been hosting direct talks between Congo and M23.
The two sides missed an August deadline for a peace deal as part of that process but on October 14, they agreed to a monitoring mechanism for an eventual ceasefire.

WELLINGTON: A man was struck and killed by a tree branch in a city park Tuesday as stormy weather buffeted New Zealand’s capital.
The dangerous winds and heavy rain disrupted travel, closed schools and cut electricity in parts of the country. Wind canceled flights into and out of Wellington for several hours before they resumed to bumpy take-offs and landings. The storm also halted passenger ferry sailings.
The man who died had been injured on Mount Victoria, a popular trail walking spot in the central city.
Authorities urged residents to stay out of the city’s parks and reserves because of the danger from falling trees. A dashcam video taken by a motorist Tuesday morning showed a pedestrian sent sprawling by a wind gust into the road, where they narrowly avoided being hit by oncoming cars.
The MetService weather agency said winds were recorded at speeds of up to 120 kph (75 mph) in the area of Kelburn. Wellington is New Zealand’s windiest city and known for its howling gales but the gusts were strong even by the capital’s standards.
About 10,000 properties were without electricity in the neighboring rural region of Wairarapa, according to figures from the local lines company. Schools and businesses in the area closed for the day.
Throughout Tuesday the lower North Island, where Wellington is located, and most of the South Island were under wind or rain warnings. In Christchurch on the South Island, gales disrupted flights on Tuesday afternoon.
Some state highways on both islands were closed due to flooding and landslides. In Hawkes Bay on the North Island, the wind toppled a truck, injuring one person and closing the road, authorities said.
New Zealand’s location in the southern latitudes and the mountain ranges that run the length of the country can produce wild weather throughout the year. MetService said the tempest was due to ease Wednesday before a second, more severe weather system was expected Thursday.