US announces sanctions against armed group and companies profiting from conflict minerals in Congo

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DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The U.S. government on Tuesday sanctioned an armed group accused of illicit trading in minerals in eastern Congo as Washington tries to spearhead peace efforts there while pushing for U.S. access to the region’s minerals.

A senior U.S. government official who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the formal announcement said the State and Treasury departments are sanctioning the PARECO armed group, which controlled the key coltan mining site of Rubaya from 2022 to early 2024.

“During this period, PARECO generated revenue by overseeing mining operations, collecting illegal fees and taxes for miners and engaging in mineral smuggling. It also imposed forced labor and executed civilians in mining areas under its control,” the official said in Washington.

The U.S. is also sanctioning the Congolese mining company CDMC, saying it sold minerals which were sourced and smuggled from mines near Rubaya, and two Hong Kong exporters, East Rise and Star Dragon, that purchased minerals from the mining area.

The State Department said it is freezing the assets of the armed group and companies in the U.S. or under U.S. control and banning all transactions with them.

Rubaya is currently under control of the M23 rebel group, which is already targeted by U.S. sanctions.

The mining site 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.

In June, Congo and Rwanda signed a peace deal facilitated by the U.S. to help end the conflict while helping the U.S. government and American companies gain access to critical minerals in the region.

Congo and the M23 rebels have also agreed to sign a permanent peace deal by Aug. 18 but renewed fighting has threatened this effort.

On Tuesday, Congo and M23 both accused each other of violating the agreement by attacking the others forces.

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This story has been corrected to show that the name of the sanctioned group is PARECO, not CODECO.

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Kamale reported from Kinshasa, Congo, and Kabumba from Goma, Congo. Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.