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A devastating landslide at a major coltan mining operation in eastern Congo has resulted in one of the deadliest mining disasters in recent African history. Rebel authorities confirmed Saturday that at least 200 miners perished when torrential rains triggered catastrophic ground failures at the Rubaya mines on Wednesday.

The M23 rebel group, which controls the mineral-rich territory in North Kivu province, reported through spokesperson Lumumba Kambere Muyisa that recovery efforts remain ongoing with numerous victims still trapped beneath mud and debris. Emergency responders have transported injured survivors to three local medical facilities in Rubaya, with plans to evacuate critical patients to Goma’s better-equipped hospitals approximately 50 kilometers away.

In response to the tragedy, the rebel-appointed provincial governor has implemented an immediate suspension of all artisanal mining activities at the site and ordered the relocation of residential structures erected near the dangerous mining zones.

This disaster strikes at the heart of Congo’s protracted humanitarian crisis, where the Rubaya region supplies over 15% of global tantalum—a rare metal essential for manufacturing smartphones, computers, and aircraft engines. The M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwanda, have controlled these strategically vital mines since May 2024, imposing taxation systems that generate an estimated $800,000 monthly from coltan trade.

Eastern Congo continues to endure one of the world’s most severe displacement emergencies, with recent conflicts forcing 100,000 people from their homes this year alone amid ongoing violence that persists despite diplomatic interventions between Congolese and Rwandan governments.

CAIRO — A chilling firsthand account from Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim exposes the systematic brutality paramilitary forces inflicted upon el-Fasher, the Sudanese army’s final strategic bastion in Darfur. The 28-year-old physician provided The Associated Press with a detailed testimony of his three-day fight for survival after Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militants overran the city in late October.

United Nations officials now characterize the conquered city as a ‘massive crime scene,’ estimating that merely 40% of el-Fasher’s 260,000 residents survived the onslaught. Thousands are believed to have been killed, though precise casualty figures remain impossible to verify due to the city’s isolation. A humanitarian assessment team that gained limited access in December found the urban center largely depopulated and devoid of visible life.

The RSF, descended from the notorious Janjaweed militias implicated in early 2000s genocides, had besieged el-Fasher for months prior to the assault. Dr. Ibrahim described desperate conditions where civilians resorted to consuming animal fodder as food supplies vanished. Despite his family’s earlier evacuation after their home was shelled, Ibrahim remained at the Saudi Maternity Hospital—the city’s last functional medical facility—as RSF forces tightened their blockade.

The final assault commenced around 5 a.m. on October 26 with intensified shelling. Recognizing the city’s imminent fall, Ibrahim and a colleague attempted to reach a nearby army base just 1.5 kilometers away—a journey that ultimately required nine hours of navigating through urban combat. The physician witnessed widespread carnage while moving between buildings, occasionally jumping between rooftops to avoid detection. He described taking refuge in an empty water tank while listening to the screams of civilians being pursued amid continuous shelling.

RSF fighters attacked the hospital shortly after the doctors’ departure, killing one nurse and wounding three others. The World Health Organization later confirmed militants stormed the facility again two days later, executing at least 460 people and abducting six healthcare workers.

Upon reaching the military base, Ibrahim found thousands of refugees—primarily women, children, and elderly civilians—with many requiring medical attention. He utilized clothing scraps to dress wounds before joining approximately 200 evacuees attempting to reach Tawila, a town 70 kilometers away.

The escape route proved deadly as the group encountered 3-meter-deep trenches dug by RSF forces to enforce their blockade. Many refugees turned back after failing to scale the embankments, their fate remaining unknown. At the final trench, Ibrahim witnessed RSF fighters open fire on climbers, leaving five dead and numerous wounded.

The survivors faced further atrocities when RSF fighters captured Ibrahim’s group near Tawila on October 27. The militants chained the doctors to motorcycles, forcing them to sprint behind the vehicles before subjecting them to interrogation and ransom demands. After initial demands of $20,000 per doctor—an astronomical sum in a nation where average monthly salaries range $30-50—the captors severely beat Ibrahim for laughing at the figure. The militants eventually accepted $8,000 per doctor after hours of abuse and death threats.

Blindfolded and transported in a truck filled with fighters, the physicians were abandoned in RSF-controlled territory rather than released in Tawila as promised. Following horse cart tracks through the darkness, they eventually reached safety where colleagues who had seen social media footage of their capture wept at their survival, considering their return nothing short of miraculous.

A chilling firsthand account from a Sudanese physician reveals the horrific human toll of paramilitary forces seizing control of el-Fasher, the Sudanese army’s final bastion in the Darfur region. Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, 28, provided The Associated Press with a detailed testimony of his three-day escape through the burning capital of North Darfur province amid continuous bombardment and widespread civilian targeting.

The assault, launched by the militant Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on October 26, transformed the strategically significant city into what United Nations officials now describe as a ‘massive crime scene.’ According to UN assessments, approximately 60% of el-Fasher’s 260,000 residents remain unaccounted for, with thousands confirmed dead and many more wounded during the offensive.

Three months after the attack, humanitarian organizations report the city stands largely deserted, with Doctors Without Borders characterizing it as a ‘ghost town’ during their recent assessment. International Criminal Court Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan has declared that war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed during the RSF’s siege, describing the emerging picture as ‘appalling.’

The prelude to the attack traces back to the 2021 military coup that toppled Sudan’s civilian government, after which the RSF—descended from the notorious Janjaweed militias—transitioned from government allies to rivals. By October, the RSF had completely surrounded el-Fasher, creating severe food shortages that forced civilians to consume animal fodder.

Dr. Ibrahim, who remained at the Saudi Maternity Hospital—the city’s last functioning medical facility—described working endless shifts with rapidly depleting supplies. When the final assault began, he and a colleague embarked on a perilous journey through the city, witnessing numerous casualties and constantly evading RSF fighters.

After reaching an army base where thousands sought refuge, Ibrahim joined a group attempting to escape to the town of Tawila. Their exodus involved navigating multiple 3-meter-deep trenches constructed by militants, during which several members of their group were killed by gunfire.

The doctors’ ordeal continued when RSF fighters captured them, executed two men in their group, and demanded ransom payments. After severe beatings and negotiations under threat of execution, the physicians secured their release upon payment of $8,000 each—an exorbitant sum in Sudan’s economic context.

Now in Tawila, Dr. Ibrahim remains haunted by his experiences but continues to provide medical assistance to survivors through the Sudanese-American Physicians Association. His account provides rare insight into the systematic violence that has characterized the RSF’s campaign in Darfur, which the Biden administration has labeled genocide.