Bukavu: The M23 rebel coalition has taken control of the Luhwinja chiefdom in the Mwenga territory of South Kivu without any combat, marking a significant strategic gain due to the area’s rich gold deposits. This development occurred on the evening of Tuesday, May 6, making Luhwinja the first entity in the territory to fall under rebel occupation since Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu, was seized on February 14.

According to Radio Okapi, the fall of Luhwinja follows the capture of Kaziba by the rebels, where an assault was launched last week. The Wazalendo forces, allied with the FARDC, had held the position but were overcome by the M23 after nearly 48 hours of resistance.

Additionally, since Tuesday, May 6, the groupings of Luchiga, Kabalole, Luduha, and Idudwe have also come under rebel control. Witnesses report that the AFC/M23 forces maneuvered around the localities of Ngando, Chihumba, and Kashanga before capturing these four strategically important groupings, which are also rich in gold minerals.

A local notable noted that the rebels are advancing towards the Twangiza mining site, located less than 5 km from the Luchiga group’s headquarters. This site, initially operated by the Canadian company Banro Corporation, was taken over by Chinese multinational corporations after establishing an industrial gold processing plant in 2014.

SOURCE: RADIO OKAPI