By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A mining company in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) sanctioned this week by Washington says it “categorically rejects” allegations linking it to armed groups and mineral smuggling in the crisis-hit eastern region of the country.
The U.S. Treasury Department had on Tuesday announced sanctions against the Cooperative des Artisanaux Miniers du Congo (CDMC) over what it called the illicit sale of critical minerals smuggled from the mineral-rich region of Rubaya.
The U.S. also sanctioned the Coalition des Patriotes Resistants Congolais-Forces de Frappe (PARECO-FF), an armed group aligned with Congo’s military which Washington said controlled mining sites in Rubaya from 2022 to 2024 – and two Hong Kong-based exporters.
Denying the allegation, the CDMC said control of its sites by armed groups implies that the company could not operate legally.
“We are not the perpetrators but the primary victims — of the armed conflict and pillage that have destabilized this region,” CDMC said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The presence and taxation of mining activity by armed groups such as PARECO-FF and, more recently, the M23 rebels have prevented CDMC from exercising lawful control over its concession,” it said.
The sanctions are the latest measures taken by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to try to bring peace to eastern Congo, where Rwanda-backed M23 rebels staged a lightning advance earlier this year, spurring violence that has killed thousands of people.
Rubaya, controlled by the M23 rebel group since April 2024, produces 15% of the world’s coltan, which is processed into a heat-resistant metal called tantalum used in mobile phones and other electronics and prized by the aerospace and medical industries among others.
United States is actively pursuing deals for critical minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), aiming to diversify supply chains and reduce reliance on China.
This effort is intertwined with U.S. attempts to broker peace between the DRC and Rwanda, as ongoing conflict in the eastern DRC impacts mining operations and regional stability.
Sanctions against armed groups involved in illegal mining activities and companies believed to be facilitating illicit trade are also part of the U.S. strategy.
