Dutch beer company Heineken has been forced to abandon its factories in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after armed groups seized control of the buildings during ongoing fighting in the region.
The company had already stopped production at three of its breweries in March when fighting broke out between government soldiers and rebel groups. Some of its factories were damaged, and its storage warehouses were looted during the battles.
However, the situation has now become much worse. Armed fighters have completely taken over Heineken’s facilities in the cities of Bukavu and Goma, which are the two largest cities in eastern Congo and are now controlled by rebels.
