US sanctions Rwandan gold refinery over DR Congo mineral smuggling

The United States imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s Gasabo Gold Refinery , accusing it of smuggling gold extracted from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where it said the refinery handled at least 60kg of gold in early 2026. The action targets one of the channels through which minerals from the conflict zone reach international markets.

Eastern DR Congo’s gold and other minerals have long been linked to financing armed groups, and Washington’s move presses on the cross-border trade rather than the fighting directly. By naming a specific refinery, the sanctions aim to disrupt a laundering point that converts conflict-sourced gold into salable bullion.

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