Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have detained 17 Chinese nationals accused of operating an illegal gold mining site in Karhembo village, South Kivu province. The arrests are part of a government crackdown on unlicensed mineral extraction in the mineral-rich but conflict-prone region.
The arrests followed an unannounced visit by a provincial delegation to the mining site on Thursday. According to Bernard Muhindo, South Kivu’s acting mines minister and finance minister, the detained individuals failed to provide any company documentation, certificates, or identification.
“We demanded the company’s documents, but there was nothing—no certificates, no legal status, no national identification,” Muhindo stated during a press conference in Bukavu, the provincial capital.
Around 60 Chinese nationals were reportedly present at the site. Authorities detained 17 believed to be in charge, along with individuals from Congo and neighboring Burundi.
The Chinese embassy in Kinshasa has not yet commented on the incident, while Burundi’s embassy awaits further details.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has long grappled with issues surrounding unlicensed mining operations, which have fueled regional conflicts and armed group activities. The nation is rich in resources such as cobalt, copper, and gold, but unregulated mining exacerbates local instability.
In July, South Kivu Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki temporarily halted mining operations in the region, citing the need to restore order. While mining activities later resumed, authorities vowed to continue investigating illegal practices within the sector.
This latest crackdown underscores the government’s efforts to address illicit mining, a critical issue in a region fraught with tensions over resource exploitation.