DRC-Mines: Tensions Persist in Kolwezi as Angry Miners Protest for a Second Day, Gunfire Heard in the City Center

Artisanal miners have continued protesting for a second day in Kolwezi, in Lualaba province, where barricades, burning tires and attacks on vehicles and businesses were reported, particularly in Luilu. Clashes with security forces took place near Kamoto Copper Company, and gunfire was heard in the city center; the Nouvelle société civile congolaise reported deaths among the miners, but no toll has been confirmed. The protesters oppose inspections and the closure of mineral-processing centers and buying counters, and demand the promised implementation of 33 artisanal mining zones as well as access to sites such as Kamilombe. The unrest follows Monday’s violence, when about ten vehicles, including seven mineral-loaded trucks, were reportedly set on fire.