The spokesman of the “M-23” rebel group was killed in eastern Congo – Mehr news agency RCO News Agency

According to Mehr news agency, citing Al-Mayadin, the attack took place near the city of Rubaya in North Kivu province, at around 3:00 a.m. local time (1:00 a.m. GMT).

Rubaya is known as a strategic center for the extraction of coltan (matte black metal ore) and about 15% of the global demand for this metal is supplied from this region, which doubles its financial and strategic importance for the “M-23” group.

Recently, the Congolese government has included this mine in its list of strategic mineral assets and introduced it in the framework of cooperation with the United States.

Despite diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire, heavy fighting has broken out around Rubaya in the past few days, forcing hundreds of families to flee.

Qatar’s mediation efforts to stop the war in eastern Congo continue, and agreements have been signed between Kinshasa and the M-23 group to establish a joint ceasefire monitoring mechanism with the participation of Qatar, the United States and the African Union.

“Willy Ngoma” has been under the sanctions of the European Union since December 2022, and the spokesperson of the Congolese presidency and the army have not commented on this until now.

The M-23 rebel group, which the UN says is backed by Rwanda, controls large parts of North and South Kivu provinces after a swift offensive last year.

The rebels then captured the strategic cities of Goma and Bukavu and briefly captured the town of Ouira last December, which was then retaken by the Congolese army.

Congo’s border with Burundi was also opened on Monday. The United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Congo (MONOSCO) also sent a joint assessment team to Ovira this week to support the implementation of the ceasefire monitoring mechanism agreed in Doha and assess the security situation in the region.