M23 rebels seize key smartphone mineral mining town in eastern Congo

By CHRISTINA MALKIA and MARK BANCHEREAU
Associated Press

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A rebel group with alleged links to Rwanda this week seized Rubaya, a mining town in eastern Congo known for producing a key mineral used in smartphones, the group said in a statement. In a statement shared with The Associated Press, a spokesperson for the M23 rebel group said the town was “liberated.” The decadeslong conflict in eastern Congo has produced one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with over 100 armed groups fighting for control of the mineral-rich area near the border with Rwanda. Many groups are accused of carrying out mass killings, rapes and other human rights violations. The violence has displaced about 7 million people, many beyond the reach of aid.