- A bomb explosion at a refugee camp in eastern Congo has killed at least five people, including a child.
- Two children and their mother were among the casualties, and more than 20 others were injured.
- Lieutenant Colonel Njike Kaiko claimed links to Rwanda and blamed the attack on the M23 rebel group.
A bomb blast at a refugee camp in eastern Congo has killed at least five people, including a child, a Congolese military spokesperson said on Friday.
Two children and their mother were among the dead, and more than 20 others were injured, John Bunien, a civil society activist based in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, told The Associated Press. did.
Military spokesperson Lt. Col. Njike Kaiko said in a statement provided to The Associated Press that the attack on Mgunga refugee camp in North Kivu province was carried out by rebel groups known as M23, which are suspected to have ties to Rwanda. denounced.
M23 rebels seize key smartphone mineral mining town in eastern Congo
Rebel military spokesman Lt. Col. Willie Ngoma denied any role and accused the military of planting the bomb.
M23 rebels stand with weapons in Kibumba, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, December 23, 2022. A bomb attack at a refugee camp in eastern Congo has killed at least five people, including a child, a Congolese military spokesperson said. he said Friday. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa, File)
M23 seized more territory this week, capturing the mining city of Rubaya.
The town has deposits of tantalum, which is extracted from coltan, a key ingredient in smartphone manufacturing. It was one of the minerals named in a letter from the Congolese government earlier this month questioning Apple about its knowledge of “blood minerals” being smuggled in its supply chain.
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Decades of conflict in eastern Congo has caused one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with more than 100 armed groups fighting in the region, most of them fighting for land and mines containing valuable minerals. It’s about management. Some are fighting to protect their communities.
Many groups have been accused of mass murder, rape, and other human rights violations. The violence has displaced approximately 7 million people, many of whom are beyond the reach of aid.
