Gold Smuggling Funds Islamic State-Linked Insurgency in Eastern Congo, Report Finds

Gold mining and smuggling have become major sources of funding for the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamic State-aligned insurgent group operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a report by US-based investigative organisation The Sentry.

The group generates an estimated US$1 million to US$1.6 million annually from gold mining sites in one area of North Kivu province alone, allowing it to finance its operations through illicit resource trading, the report found.

Gold extracted in the region is reportedly moved through trading hubs in eastern Congo before entering refining and export networks in neighbouring Uganda. The findings highlight how mineral supply chains can be exploited by armed groups operating in areas with limited oversight.

Gold revenues reduce reliance on external funding

The ADF has killed thousands of civilians and security personnel in attacks across the region over the past decade. According to The Sentry, income from gold has enabled the group to become less dependent on financial support from Islamic State since late 2024, when US sanctions targeted key facilitators in its networks.

The group also generates revenue through cocoa production, extortion and kidnapping, the report said.

Justyna Gudzowska, executive director of The Sentry, said the ADF had adapted to military pressure and sanctions by developing alternative funding sources, particularly through gold and other resource trafficking. She called for governments to target the financiers, traders and intermediaries supporting these networks.

The report suggests that disrupting the movement and sale of illicit gold could weaken an important source of income for the insurgency.

Miners face coercion around gold-producing areas

Established in Uganda in the 1990s, the ADF shifted most of its operations to eastern Congo by 2000 and pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2019. The group has since combined a regional insurgency with broader transnational militant ambitions.

Joint Congolese-Ugandan military operations launched in late 2021 helped secure major cities and trade routes. However, the ADF has continued operating in remote areas, including parts of North Kivu, Ituri and Tshopo provinces.

A representative of a Congolese mining cooperative told Reuters that the group moved into an area near mining sites in mid-2024 and established bases nearby. Speaking anonymously for security reasons, the representative said the ADF abducted miners and prospectors and forced them to extract, transport and sell gold on its behalf.

Some local residents reportedly cooperated with the group in exchange for payment, creating a system sustained by both coercion and financial incentives.

These activities expose miners and communities to violence while allowing illicit gold to enter wider trading networks.

Regional cooperation needed to disrupt illicit trade

Uganda has deployed thousands of troops to Congo to support operations against the ADF, but the group has proved resilient by embedding itself in local economic networks.

The report argues that tackling its gold revenues requires more than military operations. Stronger oversight of mining sites, improved traceability and investigations into traders and financial intermediaries could help authorities identify and disrupt the channels through which illicit gold is sold.

For the wider African mining industry, the case illustrates the risks posed by weak supply-chain controls in conflict-affected regions. Gold that enters legitimate markets without adequate checks can generate revenue for armed groups while depriving governments and local communities of the economic benefits of mineral production.

Efforts to strengthen responsible sourcing and cross-border enforcement will be important in reducing these risks and preventing mineral wealth from sustaining violent conflict.