AFC/M23 Accuses DRC Government of Politicizing Rubaya Mining Tragedy

February 2, 2026 - The AFC/M23 coalition has condemned the DRC government, accusing it of exploiting the deaths of more than 200 people in the Rubaya mining area for political purposes. The coalition said the tragedy, which occurred on January 28, 2026, was caused by landslides triggered by heavy rains and unstable soil, not by issues related to territorial control. The victims reportedly included numerous miners. On January 31, the DRC Ministry of Mineral Resources stated that most of the victims were engaged in illegal mining under AFC/M23 control. This claim was strongly rejected by the group. AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka criticized the government’s response, saying:“Instead of acknowledging the long-standing failure of the government to regulate the mining sector, it is trying to exploit the disaster caused by heavy rains in the Rubaya mines for political gain.” The coalition emphasized that mining accidents have occurred repeatedly in areas under government control, citing more than 800 deaths across multiple sites over the years. Among the examples cited were Nyamukubi and Bushushu in South Kivu, where more than 500 people died on May 4, 2023. AFC/M23 also recalled previous disasters, including: 37 deaths in Fizi in October 2018, 43 deaths at the KOV mine in Lualaba in June 2019, and 50 deaths near Kamituga, South Kivu, in September 2020 - all in areas under state control. AFC/M23 concluded that the Rubaya tragedy reflects systemic failures in mining regulation, rather than the actions of any single group.