Two days after the reported death of M23 spokesperson Willy Ngoma in a predawn strike, Congolese government forces escalated operations in the east, launching drone attacks on positions held by the Rwanda-backed rebel group, security sources told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Wednesday.
The heaviest fighting centered near the mining town of Rubaya, where an earlier drone strike targeted M23 fighters, according to local and security officials. The area remains a strategic flashpoint.
Rubaya is home to one of the world’s most significant coltan deposits, accounting for an estimated 15% to 30% of global supply. The mineral is essential for manufacturing electronics, including smartphones and laptops.
Since reemerging in 2021, the M23 has seized large swaths of mineral-rich territory in eastern Congo. In April 2024, the group captured the Rubaya mine in North Kivu province, a move widely seen as bolstered by Rwanda’s backing.
The renewed offensive underscores deepening instability in a region scarred by more than three decades of conflict, where multiple armed factions and foreign actors continue to compete for control of lucrative natural resources.
