Amnesty International on Monday, September 21, 2026, accused M23 rebels of committing abuses at mines in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that could amount to war crimes.
The organization interviewed 26 people about alleged crimes committed between January 2025 and March 2026 at the Rubaya coltan mine in North Kivu and the Lomera gold mine in South Kivu.
Sixteen respondents said M23 fighters or security guards had tortured or mistreated miners and civilians. Amnesty documented the deaths of 18 artisanal miners, including 10 allegedly beaten to death, two shot and six abducted before being found dead.
The report also alleged arbitrary detention, forced labour and pillage, as well as the smuggling of gold from M23-controlled areas into neighbouring Rwanda.
M23 and Rwandan authorities did not immediately respond to the allegations. Rwanda has previously denied accusations that it supports the rebels and profits from Congolese minerals.
The Rubaya mine produces about 15 per cent of the world’s coltan, according to Amnesty International. It was also the site of a collapse in March 2026 that killed at least 200 people and a landslide in January 2026 that left about 200 dead.