Congo frees 14 of 17 Chinese men held in illegal gold mining crackdown

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have released 14 of the 17 Chinese nationals detained last week on suspicion of operating an illegal gold mine, officials said late Tuesday (December 24).

The men, now en route to China, were arrested alongside Congolese and Burundian nationals after failing to produce proper documentation during a crackdown on unlicensed mining in South Kivu province.

South Kivu Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki expressed shock over their release, alleging the miners owed the government $10 million in unpaid taxes and fines.

The raid targeted a site where about 60 Chinese nationals were present, and officials detained 17 believed to be in charge, authorities said.

China remains silent

The Chinese Embassy in Kinshasa has not commented on the release. Burundi’s embassy stated it was still awaiting updates from its representative in Bukavu, South Kivu’s capital.

More from World

Nepal's new PM pays homage to people died during the Gen Z protest in her first national address This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal

South Kivu’s acting mines minister, Bernard Muhindo, said the government’s goal is to regulate mining operations.

“The idea is not to go on a manhunt, but rather to clean up the mining sector so that reliable partners can work properly and legally,” Muhindo told reporters.

Congo’s struggle around mining

Congo’s mineral-rich central and eastern regions have long grappled with illegal mining operations and the involvement of armed groups. The country boasts vast reserves of cobalt, copper, and gold but struggles to curb exploitation by unlicensed companies and militias.

The eastern provinces, marked by dense forests and rugged terrain, host numerous industrial and artisanal mines. Many are controlled by militias and worked by enslaved laborers, including children, according to government reports.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

More than 250 local and 14 foreign armed groups are active in eastern Congo, often fighting over mining operations and resources, the government’s stabilisation agency said last year. Neighbouring nations, including Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, have also been drawn into the region’s conflicts over the past three decades.

Competition for control of mines and resources has fueled ongoing violence, particularly near the border with Rwanda.

With inputs from agencies