Communities Reeling After Islamic State-Affiliated Assault on Mining Sites in DRC
The Allied Defence Forces (ADF), an affiliate of the Islamic State, recently claimed responsibility for the attack. Local sources said the terrorists who attacked the MCC mining sites came from the Lubero territory of North Kivu.
MCC Resources Sarl, a mining company in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has suspended its activities in the country, following an attack on its mining sites in the Mambasa territory of Ituri province. On the night of March 11 to 12, terrorists attacked the mining site, killing scores, looting, and destroying facilities.
The Allied Defence Forces (ADF), an affiliate of the Islamic State, recently claimed responsibility for the attack. Local sources told HumAngle that the ADF members came from Bapere, in Lubero territory of North Kivu. MCC Resources Sarl is a Congolese company with foreign investors, operating in compliance with the laws and economic standards of the DRC.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack on gold mining sites operated by the Chinese Kimia Mining Enterprise, publishing photographs that showed burning trucks, tractors, and camps.
The new attack is fueling debates on the realities faced by economic operators in the strategic gold mining zone, as well as on the impact of armed violence on the national mining investments in the DRC
“In an official correspondence addressed to the military governor of Ituri, the MCC Resources management indicates that due to the persistent degradation of the security situation in the Eastern part of the country, it had proceeded with the preventive evacuation of its personnel several weeks before the attack. According to the company, the incursion of armed groups not formally identified in the Muchacha site has led to acts of looting and sabotage aimed at its mining installations, without, however, causing the loss of human lives,” the company revealed in a statement released on March 15.
Faced with security risks deemed very high, MCC Resources announced the suspension of all mining activities at its Muchacha and Mavuvu sites until further notice, adding that its employees and partners remain its top priority. The company says it is following the evolution of the security situation to envisage, at the right moment, the progressive resumption of its operations.
The Congolese government has condemned the attack. In a communique also published on March 15, the government extended its condolences to the families of the victims and expressed its compassion to the populations of Mambasa territory affected.
MCC Resources Sarl, a mining company in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has halted operations following a deadly attack by the Allied Defence Forces on its mining sites in Ituri province.
The March 11-12 assault, claimed by the Islamic State, resulted in fatalities, looting, and infrastructure damage, and highlights ongoing security challenges impacting mining investments in the region.
The company had preemptively evacuated staff due to security concerns and has suspended activities at its Muchacha and Mavuvu sites, prioritizing the safety of employees and partners. The Congolese government condemned the attack, extending condolences to victims' families. MCC Resources is monitoring security developments to eventually resume operations.
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