Congo gold miner halts operations in tax dispute with M23 rebel administration

Twangiza Mining, a gold miner operating in the rebel-controlled South Kivu Province in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, said it has been ordered to suspend operations by the rebel administration, according to a company-wide letter seen by Reuters. The company, which is managed by Hong Kong-registered Shomka Resources, informed employees of an immediate work stoppage in the letter dated May 8.

The decision highlights tensions over resource control in Congo’s mineral-rich eastern regions, where M23 rebel advances have placed strategic mining assets under new administration, creating uncertainty for international operators and commodity markets. The Rwanda-backed rebels seized control of Congo’s two mineral-rich eastern provinces earlier this year and are solidifying their control over the captured territories.