Rubaya

Rubaya
Town
Hills in Rubaya
Hills in Rubaya
Interactive map of Rubaya
Rubaya is located in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Rubaya
Rubaya
Rubaya in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Coordinates: 1°32′46.5″S 28°52′24.7″E / 1.546250°S 28.873528°E / -1.546250; 28.873528

Rubaya (pronunciationⓘ) is a mining town in Masisi Territory, North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is 70 km (45 miles) to the west of Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province. As of March 2026, the town is currently under control of rebels from the Rwandan-backed rebel paramilitary group, the March 23 Movement (M23), as part of the Second M23 rebellion.

History

On 2 May 2024, M23 rebels issued a statement that said they had seized Rubaya for its deposits of tantalum, a type of metal extracted from coltan that is used in the production of smartphones. The rebels then imposed taxes on the export and transport of coltan.

References

  1. 1 2 Makumeno, Emery (5 March 2026). "DR Congo government says 200 killed after landslide at rebel-held mine". Kinshasa: BBC. Archived from the original on 11 May 2026. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  2. ↑ Malkia, Christina; Banchereau, Mark (3 May 2024). "M23 rebels seize key smartphone mineral mining town in eastern Congo". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 6 March 2026. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  3. ↑ McMakin, Wilson (5 March 2026). "Miners digging for world tech material are dying in Congo. Here's why". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 1 April 2026. Retrieved 19 May 2026.