2024 in Review: The armed conflict in eastern DR Congo | The Take

As the year wraps up, we're looking back at ten of the episodes that defined 2024. This originally aired on February 27. None of the dates, titles, or other references have been changed.

Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is rich in resources, from gold and diamonds to coltan, used to power mobile phones. It’s also the site of recent heavy fighting between government forces and the rebel group, M23, and whoever emerges on top will have control of the region’s wealth. But trapped in the middle are Congolese civilians. As the fighting intensifies, where will they go?

In this episode:

- Catherine Soi, Al Jazeera Correspondent

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Fahrinisa Campana, Sarí el-Khalili, and Chloe K. Li, with Spencer Cline, Phillip Lanos, Hisham Abu Salah, Mohannad al-Melhem, and our host Malika Bilal. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Joe Plourde mixed this update. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik and Adam Abou-Gad is our engagement producer.

Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio.

[TianasFrog]

I wasn’t clicking on this but thankfully I’ve seen it and learned something new

[dumashange]

THE DRC IS ONE OF THE RICHEST COUNTRIES ON EARTH. IT IS TIME TO TAKE CONTROL FROM THE IMPERIALIST

[HumanityandIntegrity]

I'm saddened to think that Rwanda is complicit in the Congo's conflict. I would have hoped with their past that they would be more ethical.

[realpascaldigny]

It's so sad, I wish this all comes to an end and everyone can live in peace.

[theresa]

The DR Congo should be on the news 24/7, exposing the corruption and inhuman conditions.

[M.I.B_cpt]

Thank you so much for sharing this information, it's very important that people around the world start paying attention to this war because it's been around for couple of decades. The main cause of DR Congo war is Rwanda!

[Don_cyuzuzo]

Only the DRC government and M23 knows why they are fighting
I am calling for all those who are watching this podcast to not trust what they are saying

[AKRDC]

In the name of our ancestors and under the leadership of our beloved Président FELIX ANTOINE TSHISEKEDI TSHILOMBO our army the FARDC and our beloved brothers and sisters WAZALENDU, WE WILL BE VICTORIOUS. The TUTSIS WILL BE DEFEATED!

It is our land, we fight for it to our last drop of blood. DRC FOR EVER ✌🏿❤️🇨🇩❤️

[theresa]

Source: Cobalt Red…by Siddharth Kara, page 23. “The largest lithium-ion battery manufacturers in the world are CATL and BYD in China; LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK Innovation in South Korea; and Panasonic in Japan. In 2021, these six companies produced 86 percent of the world’s lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, with CATL alone holding a one-third global share. Most of the cobalt in these batteries originated in the Congo.”

[theresa]

Source: Colbalt Red…by Siddharth Kara, page 22 “…November 2021, there are nineteen major industrial copper-cobalt mining complexes operating in Haut-Katanga and Lualaba Provinces, fifteen of which were owned or financed by Chinese mining companies. Most of the Chinese-owned mining sites…were secured by a military force called the FARDC for the elite Republicans Guard…These armed security forces are devoted to two tasks: keep prying eyes out, and keep minerals secure.”

[tommyn]

Behind the rebel group M23 it's rwanda defense forces which is after the mineral mines 3T

[TianasFrog]

Sometimes notifications are irritating sometimes they are perfect

[teresamobe]

There never been any aggression in Rwanda from outside only Kagame who works in old ways of looking after his own ethnic Tutsi and play a victim of minorities and wants to import it to neighbouring countries where there are other Tutsi ethnic groups like Kenya, Burundi, Drc and Tanzania

[jeanclaudemwezmunung]

A question to aljazeera, you don't have the investigation journalist to know what is going on in Eastern of DRC?

[husseinmohamed]

hadiiba ay xukuumad waliba ay indho cadaw ku eegto maamulka jupaland sababtu maxay tahay markaa ileen wadar iyo waaxid waaxid ayaa khaldan e.xitaa tii la hayb wadaagta ahyd hadii ay ka dhan noqotay, what is the reason of thaat problem !?

[nnzere]

the only solution in the war in DRC it the dialogue between kisekedi and M23

[Nyota]

Just take the minerals why harm innocent people...

[nathanielzarny]

3:10 why is tldr news there? And why aren't they cited?? You can't just steal someone's work like that!

[lightbeings]

The disease X outbreak is also out there..n not noticed by people ..but patients are dying.

[nnzere]

M23❤ are pure congolaise, in DRC there is a genocide against the Tutsi are killed by FDLR those people did genocide in Rwanda they supported by kisekedi even many groups like wazalendo, warner, mercenary, Sadc those groups they fight by M23, that conflict it came from barcanisarion