Guns, gold & tolls: How Congo’s militias and guerrillas profit from the M23 war

Guns, gold and tolls How Congo’s militias and guerrillas profit from the M23 war In a remote mining village in the Democratic Republic of Congo, teenagers carrying Kalashnikovs guard a gold mine while claiming to fight for their country. But behind the language of patriotism lies another reality: a growing militia economy fuelled by war, mineral wealth, road tolls and ransom.Around 100 heavily armed militiamen now call the small village of Mwala in southeastern DRC home. Many came from South Kivu after government forces retreated following an offensive by the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group. They now provide "security" at an artisanal gold mine operated by a Chinese company and collect money from businesses and people moving through territory they control.The fighters call themselves "wazalendo", meaning "patriots" in Swahili, a name used for local militias supporting government forces against M23. Some say they are defending the country. Residents, however, say the militias are better known for extortion, while local officials warn that the proliferation of weapons could turn the region's unresolved conflicts into a larger security crisis.The development illustrates how the war in e...