Link to Article: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/congo-army-retreat-bukavu-leads-clashes-with-allied-militias-2025-02-18/ The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) faces escalating instability as government forces retreat from Bukavu in response to the advancing M23 rebels, who are allegedly backed by Rwanda. The withdrawal, intended to prevent urban warfare, has led to clashes between the army and its former militia allies, the Wazalendo. These pro-government fighters resisted the order to… Read more »
Link to Article: https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/18/africa/m23-rebels-east-congo-killings-intl/index.html The ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has taken a devastating turn, with U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk accusing the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels of executing children and using them as fighters. After seizing the major cities of Goma and Bukavu, the rebels allegedly committed atrocities, including attacking hospitals and humanitarian aid warehouses…. Read more »
Link to Article: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/rebel-held-ports-eastern-dr-congo-re-open-aid-needs-grow-2025-02-18/ Burundi has begun withdrawing its troops from eastern Congo, weakening the Congolese army as it struggles to contain the M23 rebel offensive. The Burundian military had been supporting the Congolese forces in defending strategic locations, including Kavumu airport near Bukavu, which fell to the rebels over the weekend. This withdrawal comes amid new U.N. reports of… Read more »
Link to Article: https://apnews.com/article/interpol-west-africa-illegal-mining-arrests-95eb68d0dc2351485b081865e0a61eff Interpol’s recent Operation Sanu, spanning Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, and Senegal, targeted illegal gold and sand mining, resulting in 200 arrests and the seizure of toxic chemical, explosives, and equipment. Gold mining, often involving harmful substances like mercury and cyanide, poses severe health risks to miners and devastates the environment. Painkillers used to mitigate these effects… Read more »
Link to Article: https://afpnews.com/article/congo-rebels-northkivu-goma-44d802cead4adde2b9aea5515bb83172 In eastern Congo, government forces have recaptured several towns in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces from armed groups, according to army spokesman Guillaume Ndjike Kaiko. These include Ngungu in Masisi territory and other villages such as Lumbishi and Kabingo. While these victories are significant, the security situation remains unstable as other towns, including the Masisi… Read more »
Link to Article: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/mali-started-flying-gold-stocks-out-barrick-site-saturday-sources-say-2025-01-13/ On January 13th, Mali’s government seized three metric tons of gold worth $245 million from Barrick Gold’s Loulo-Gounkoto mining complex, citing a $5.5 billion debt owed to Mali’s economy ministry. The gold was transported by helicopter to the state-owned Banque Malienne de Solidarité in Bamako. This seizure stems from a long-running dispute between Barrick and Mali… Read more »
