Rebels surrender to UN following attack on Congo mining hub

Catch up with NBC News Clone on today's hot topic: Rebels Surrender Un Following Attack Congo Mining Hub Flna1B9043979 - Breaking News | NBC News Clone. Our editorial team reformatted this story for clarity and speed.

The government said it had killed about 15 of the estimated 300 Mayi-Mayi Kata Katanga separatists who attacked the capital of the Central African nation's copper and cobalt-rich Katanga province armed mainly with bows and arrows and machetes.

"The U.N. Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) welcomes the peaceful surrender of 245 Mayi-Mayi Kata Katanga combatants who sought refuge inside the MONUSCO compound in Lubumbashi," said a statement released on Sunday.

At least 35 people were killed in the violence, the statement said, citing local sources.

"The rebels should be handed over soon to the Government, following negotiations mediated by MONUSCO, between the governor of Katanga, military and provincial authorities and the Mayi-Mayi," it said.

Among the group were 54 injured fighters, 15 of them with serious wounds, the U.N. said.

Millions have died in the vast former Belgian colony's long-simmering armed conflicts concentrated in the eastern borderlands, but the mining areas around Lubumbashi have remained relatively calm.

However, the Mayi-Mayi, feeding off local grievances and secessionist sentiment, in recent months have ventured outside their stronghold in northern Katanga and towards the heart of the mining industry around Lubumbashi.

A witness to Saturday's attack said the group had attempted to hoist the flag of Katanga's short-lived 1960s-era independent republic before members of the army's elite Republican Guard launched a counterattack.

Katanga hosts many international mining companies, including Freeport McMoRan and commodities trader Glencore and exports about half a million metric tons of copper a year.

×
AdBlock Detected!
Please disable it to support our content.

Related Articles

Donald Trump Presidency Updates - Politics and Government | NBC News Clone | Inflation Rates 2025 Analysis - Business and Economy | NBC News Clone | Latest Vaccine Developments - Health and Medicine | NBC News Clone | Ukraine Russia Conflict Updates - World News | NBC News Clone | Openai Chatgpt News - Technology and Innovation | NBC News Clone | 2024 Paris Games Highlights - Sports and Recreation | NBC News Clone | Extreme Weather Events - Weather and Climate | NBC News Clone | Hollywood Updates - Entertainment and Celebrity | NBC News Clone | Government Transparency - Investigations and Analysis | NBC News Clone | Community Stories - Local News and Communities | NBC News Clone