At least 10 perished in a mine collapse in eastern Congo

The rebel-appointed governor of South Kivu province announced on Thursday, April 24, 2025, that a gold mine collapse claimed the lives of at least 10 people.

M23 Rebels, Congo To Work Towards Restoring Peace

The collapse occurred in a rebel-controlled territory, where artisanal mining, a euphemism for unregulated, dangerous labor, thrives under the shadow of conflict. The rebel-appointed vice-governor, Dunia Masumbuko Bwenge, blamed the disaster on “uncontrolled construction and poor maintenance of gold wells.” A convenient excuse, perhaps, for a region where safety regulations are as rare as the gold itself. He added that the number of injuries could rise.

Congo’s humanitarian operations were struck by the Trump aid pause

And let’s not forget the decades-long conflict that has turned eastern Congo into a battleground for control over its vast resources—a conflict rooted in the spillover of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and fueled by international demand for minerals.

The alleged Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have seized east Congo’s two biggest cities since January. In a statement released on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, Congo’s government and M23 pledged to work towards peace, raising a glimmer of hope in the latest cycle of violence after talks in Doha, Qatar.

Runaway Congo Soldiers Face Trial on Violence Charge

Despite international efforts, including peace talks and humanitarian aid, the situation in eastern Congo remains critical.