GOMA, Congo (AP) — A landslide earlier this week collapsed several mines at a major coltan mining site in eastern Congo, leaving at least 200 people dead, rebel authorities said Saturday.
The collapse took place Wednesday at the Rubaya mines, which are controlled by the M23 rebels, Lumumba Kambere Muyisa, the spokesperson of the rebel-appointed governor of North-Kivu province told The Associated Press. He said the landslide was caused by heavy rains.
“For now, there are more than 200 dead, some of whom are still in the mud and have not yet been recovered,” Muyisa said. He added that several others were injured and taken to three health facilities in the town of Rubaya, while ambulances were expected to transfer the wounded Saturday to Goma, the nearest city around 50 kilometers (30 miles) away.
The rebel-appointed governor of North Kivu has temporarily halted artisanal mining on the site and ordered the relocation of residents who had built shelters near the mine, Muyisa said.
A former miner at the site told The Associated Press there have been repeated landslides because the tunnels are dug by hand, poorly constructed, and left without maintenance.
“People dig everywhere, without control or safety measures. In a single pit, there can be as many as 500 miners, and because the tunnels run parallel, one collapse can affect many pits at once,” Clovis Mafare said.
Rubaya lies in the heart of eastern Congo, a mineral-rich part of the Central African nation which for decades has been ripped apart by violence from government forces and different armed groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23, whose recent resurgence has escalated the conflict, worsening an already acute humanitarian crisis.
Congo is a major supplier of coltan, a black metallic ore that contains the rare metal tantalum, a key component in the production of smartphones, computers and aircraft engines.
The country produced about 40 percent of the world’s coltan in 2023, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, with Australia, Canada and Brazil being other big suppliers. Over 15% of the world’s supply of tantalum from Rubaya’s mines.
In May 2024, M23 seized the town and took control of its mines. According to a U.N. report, since seizing Rubaya, the rebels have imposed taxes on the trade and transport of coltan, generating at least $800,000 a month.
Eastern Congo has been in and out of crisis for decades. Various conflicts have created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises with more than 7 million people displaced, including 100,000 who fled homes this year.
Despite the signing of a deal between the Congolese and Rwandan governments brokered by the U.S. and ongoing negotiations between rebels and Congo, fighting continues on several fronts in eastern Congo, continuing to claim numerous civilian and military casualties.
The deal between Congo and Rwanda also opens up access to critical minerals for the U.S. government and American companies.
Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal.
FILE - Miners work at the D4 Gakombe coltan mining quarry in Rubaya, Congo, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa, File)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Elise Mertens marked her return to the No. 1 ranking in women's doubles by combining with China's Zhang Shuai to win the Australian Open title on Saturday, joined later by American Christian Harrison and Britain's Neal Skupski who won the men's doubles trophy.
Back together after four years apart as a team, Mertens and Zhang trailed 3-0 and 4-1 in the first set but rallied to beat Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic 7-6 (4), 6-4. Mertens and Zhang led the final set 5-0 before withstanding a comeback attempt when Danilina and Krunic won four straight games.
Harrison served an ace on match point to give he and Skupski a win in the men's final by the same score as the women — 7-6 (4), 6-4 — over the Australian pair of Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans. Kubler went into the match with a 14-3 doubles record at his home major.
Harrison and Skupski, who both competed at last year’s ATP Finals with different partners, joined as a team for the first time in Adelaide earlier this month, where they reached the semifinals.
Currently ranked No. 6 in doubles, Mertens, who won the Wimbledon doubles title last year with Veronika Kudermetova, will return to the No. 1 ranking after the Australian Open.
That will mark the Belgian player's 40th cumulative week as No. 1 in doubles and was guaranteed regardless of the outcome of the Melbourne Park final Saturday.
The win Saturday was Mertens' sixth Grand Slam doubles title, including 2021 and 2024 at Melbourne Park. Zhang now has three, including the 2019 Australian Open and the 2021 U.S. Open.
It was their first Grand Slam trophy as a team, having lost the 2022 Wimbledon final in their last appearance together.
“This is like cherry on the cake,” Mertens said. “We paired up as a team very last-minute . . . this was our first tournament back together. In the second round we saved three match points, so that kind of took us to another level. An unbelievable two weeks."
Mertens reached the fourth round of women’s singles at Melbourne Park this year before being beaten by eventual finalist Elena Rybakina.
Zhang said she and Mertens adapt well.
“We know how to play finals, we know how to win finals,” Zhang said. “We are both very calm. If something doesn't work . . . we always adjust.”
Harrison said his men's trophy was an added plus to his love of the game.
“For me, it’s just simple,” Harrison said. “The trophies, the tournaments are just a nice bonus. I love playing. Honestly, I just love stepping on the court and just having a good atmosphere. That’s honestly what makes it just simple for me.”
Skupski said that despite the pro-Australian crowd at Rod Laver Arena, he and Harrison handled the pressure well.
“We knuckled down and had to bring our best level,” Skupski said. "This will definitely improve us, give us experience, and know what to do next time. Especially in front of a crowd that, like today, was incredible."
The mixed doubles final was played on Friday, when Australians Olivia Gadecki and John Peers became the first team to win consecutive titles since 1989 after beating the French pair of Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard 4-6, 6-3, 10-8.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Ken Rosewall, centre, stands with Christian Harrison, left, of the U.S. and Neal Skupski of Britain after they defeated Australia's Jason Kubler, right, and Marc Polmans in the men's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Christian Harrison, left, of the U.S. and Neal Skupski of Britain are congratulated by Australia's Jason Kubler, right, and Marc Polmans after winning the men's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Ken Rosewall, left, presents the trophy to Christian Harrison of the U.S. and Neal Skupski, right, of Britain after they defeated Australia's Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans in the men's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Christian Harrison of the U.S. and Neal Skupski, left, of Britain celebrate after defeating Australia's Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans in the men's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, left, of China pose with their trophy after defeating Anna Danilina, right, of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, left, of China celebrate after defeating Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, right, of China celebrate after defeating Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, left, of China pose with their trophy after defeating Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Elise Mertens, right, of Belgium and Zhang Shuai of China in action against Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia during the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia react against Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai of China during the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, right, of China celebrate after defeating Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
