The government of the Central African Republic accused Chinese mining company Daqing SARL of backing rebels and suspended its operations in the country.
Daqing is a gold and diamond mining company operating in the Mingala area south of the country where the government is battling the Coalition of Patriots for Change.
The CAR government issued a statement accusing Daqing of “intelligence with armed groups, illegal exploitation, illegal introduction of foreign subjects into mining areas, non-payment of taxes, and lack of activity reports.”
Infighting worsened in CAR in 2013 where at least 14 armed groups are vying for power in the landlocked and resource-rich country.
Chinese companies have secured concession agreements to extract critical minerals in the war-torn country.
Last month, four workers were killed in an attack blamed by the government on the Coalition of Patriots for Change, a Christian group that was formed after the failure of a peace deal in 2019.
Last year, nine Chinese workers were killed in a gold mine in an attack which the government said was also perpetrated by the Christian rebels.
