Saudi Arabia Offers Condolences to Congo over Mine Collapse Victims

A general view of a portion of an open pit coltan mine in Rubaya on January 30, 2026. (AFP)
A general view of a portion of an open pit coltan mine in Rubaya on January 30, 2026. (AFP)
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Saudi Arabia Offers Condolences to Congo over Mine Collapse Victims

A general view of a portion of an open pit coltan mine in Rubaya on January 30, 2026. (AFP)
A general view of a portion of an open pit coltan mine in Rubaya on January 30, 2026. (AFP)

Saudi Arabia expressed on Monday its condolences to the families of the victims, and to the people and government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, following the collapse of a mineral mine in the city of Rubaya that claimed the lives of more than 226 workers.

The Kingdom conveyed its solidarity with Congo, its government, and its people during this ordeal.

Congo's government said on Sunday it feared "at least 200 dead" in a "massive" landslide that struck a militia-held mine in the country's east.

Since its resurgence in 2021, the M23 armed group has seized vast tracts of the DRC's resource-rich east, capturing the Rubaya mine in North Kivu province in April 2024 with Rwanda's help.

The mine produces 15 to 30 percent of the world's supply of coltan, a key component in the production of electronics such as laptops and mobile phones.

Thousands of artisanal miners work daily in precarious conditions in Rubaya's pits, most equipped with simple shovels and rubber boots.



Saudi Arabia, France Stress Need for End to Threats to Regional, Int’l Security

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and French President Emmanuel Macron. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and French President Emmanuel Macron. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, France Stress Need for End to Threats to Regional, Int’l Security

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and French President Emmanuel Macron. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and French President Emmanuel Macron. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and French President Emmanuel Macron stressed on Friday the need for an end to all actions that threaten regional and international security.

During a telephone call, they discussed the military escalation in the region and its impact on security and stability.


Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Receives British Foreign Secretary

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, received the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Yvette Cooper. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, received the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Yvette Cooper. (SPA)
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Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Receives British Foreign Secretary

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, received the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Yvette Cooper. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, received the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Yvette Cooper. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received on Thursday the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Yvette Cooper, at the ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh.

During the meeting, they reviewed the strategic relations between the two countries and areas of bilateral cooperation. They also discussed regional developments and joint efforts to address these issues.

At the meeting, the British official expressed her country's condemnation of the brutal attacks launched by Iran against Saudi Arabia and several other countries in the region, affirming the UK's solidarity with the affected countries and the necessity of concerted efforts to promote stability and peace in the region.


Pakistan Reiterates Firm Support for Saudi Arabia

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Jeddah on Thursday (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Jeddah on Thursday (SPA)
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Pakistan Reiterates Firm Support for Saudi Arabia

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Jeddah on Thursday (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Jeddah on Thursday (SPA)

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman met in Jeddah on Thursday evening with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, who reaffirmed his country’s support for the Kingdom.

The two leaders discussed the bilateral relations between their countries and the ongoing regional escalation and its implications for regional security.

According to Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif conveyed Pakistan’s full support for Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that Islamabad would continue to stand firmly alongside the Kingdom.

Also Thursday, UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper arrived in Riyadh for a visit the British government said reflects the United Kingdom’s support for its Gulf partners amid what it described as Iran’s “reckless aggression.”

Iran continued Friday targeting civilian facilities, though most attacks were intercepted by Gulf air defenses.

Saudi Arabia said it foiled more than 40 attacks and destroyed missiles aimed at Prince Sultan Air Base and the Eastern Province, while Kuwait International Airport sustained material damage without casualties.