Group of 14 illegal miners who resurfaced from shaft 10 at the Stilfontein disused mine on Sunday night were arrested. According to police, all the men are Mozambique nationals, and a 14-year-old boy is among them. Watch to know more!

14 Illegal Miners Arrested After Resurfacing In South Africa

In South Africa, for weeks, hundreds or possibly thousands of illegal miners remain underground in a stil-fontein town in the country’s northwest province after police cut off their food and water supplies in a bid to force them to return to the surface and be arrested. This incident has reignited the debate on how big the illegal mining industry is, in South Africa and its impact on the economy.

South Africa Grapples With Menace of Illegal Mines

Thousands of illegal miners are stuck underground after having food and water supplies cut off in Stilfontein. South Africa's Northwest province community members said that the situation is pretty dire and they are willing to go underground to retrieve the illegal miners. Watch this report for more details!

South Africa: Illegal Miners Stuck Underground Without Food

In other global news, the Brazilian government has finally launched its campaign to drive out tens of thousands of illegal miners from the country's largest indigenous reserve.

Brazil launches ops to remove illegal miners

Thousands of angry residents in the South African city of Krugersdorp attacked a group of illegal miners with machetes, golf clubs and hammers after a gang rape last week shocked the nation. Around 84 were arrested and appeared before court this week.

Gang rape in South Africa sparks outrage, angry protesters hunt down illegal miners

8 women were raped near a mine while shooting for a music video and the incident has sparked outrage in South Africa. Protesters have gathered outside court demanding swift justice.

Gang rape in South Africa sparks outrage; thousands of protesters raid illegal miners

Federal agents in Brazil exchanged gunfire with illegal miners in the Amazon state of Para on Friday, according to witnesses, in a dramatic example of how Brazil has stepped up environmental enforcement in the wake of rainforest fires.

Federal police and agents with<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/warplanes-dump-water-on-amazon-as-brazil-military-begins-fighting-fires-245671"> environmental enforcement</a> agency Ibama were carrying out a raid on illegal wildcat miners near the Ituna/Itatá indigenous reserve, which crosses into several municipalities including the city of Altamira, according to two Reuters witnesses.

"They (the miners) hid in the forest and shot at the team," said Hugo Loss, Ibama's national coordinator of enforcement operations, who accompanied the mission.

The agents returned fire, but all of the miners escaped into the woods and no suspects were apprehended.

No-one was injured, according to the official.&nbsp;

Ibama and the federal police destroyed two backhoes and three other pieces of mining equipment.

Ibama had largely rolled back its field operations in Para state so far this year, over failure to reach an agreement with police at the state-level to offer support, according to Loss.&nbsp;

State police generally accompany Ibama on potentially dangerous operations.

That came on top of efforts by the government of right-wing<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/brazilian-president-jair-bolsonaro-has-got-the-environmentalists-worried-188740"> President Jair Bolsonaro to weaken Ibama,</a> including prohibiting agents from destroying machinery used to commit environmental crimes and grounding the agency's special forces unit used on riskier raids, according to a Reuters investigation.

But news broke last week that fires in the Amazon surged to their highest level since 2010 and provoked international criticism that Brazil was not doing enough to protect the world's largest tropical rainforest.

Following several days of public outcry, Bolsonaro authorized the military to support firefighting efforts, with his justice minister further issuing a decree allowing federal police to support environmental operations.

That federal support allowed for Ibama-organized raids such as the one on Friday to be carried out, Loss said.&nbsp;

The raid was not directly related to the fires.

"Only now with the recognition of alarming deforestation and fire data and with the (justice minister's) decree, did we have conditions allowing us to operate in this area," he said.

"In this area we had operations planned for June and July, but we weren't able to execute them... because of lack of support."

Illegal mining contributes to overall deforestation in Brazil, with roughly 10per cent of the area of the indigenous reserve near the raid having been deforested this year alone, Loss said. 
&nbsp;

Federal agents in Brazil exchanged gunfire with illegal miners in the Amazon state of Para on Friday, according to witnesses, in a dramatic example of how Brazil has stepped up environmental enforcement in the wake of rainforest fires.

Federal agents in Brazil exchanged gunfire with illegal miners in the Amazon state of Para on Friday, according to witnesses, in a dramatic example of how Brazil has stepped up environmental enforcement in the wake of rainforest fires. Federal police and agents with environmental enforcement agency Ibama were carrying out a raid on illegal wildcat miners near the Ituna/Itatá indigenous reserve, which crosses into several municipalities including the city of Altamira, according to two Reuters witnesses. "They (the miners) hid in the forest and shot at the team," said Hugo Loss, Ibama's national coordinator of enforcement operations, who accompanied the mission. The agents returned fire, but all of the miners escaped into the woods and no suspects were apprehended. No-one was injured, according to the official. Ibama and the federal police destroyed two backhoes and three other pieces of mining equipment. Ibama had largely rolled back its field operations in Para state so far this year, over failure to reach an agreement with police at the state-level to offer support, according to Loss. State police generally accompany Ibama on potentially dangerous operations. That came on top of efforts by the government of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro to weaken Ibama, including prohibiting agents from destroying machinery used to commit environmental crimes and grounding the agency's special forces unit used on riskier raids, according to a Reuters investigation. But news broke last week that fires in the Amazon surged to their highest level since 2010 and provoked international criticism that Brazil was not doing enough to protect the world's largest tropical rainforest. Following several days of public outcry, Bolsonaro authorized the military to support firefighting efforts, with his justice minister further issuing a decree allowing federal police to support environmental operations. That federal support allowed for Ibama-organized raids such as the one on Friday to be carried out, Loss said. The raid was not directly related to the fires. "Only now with the recognition of alarming deforestation and fire data and with the (justice minister's) decree, did we have conditions allowing us to operate in this area," he said. "In this area we had operations planned for June and July, but we weren't able to execute them... because of lack of support." Illegal mining contributes to overall deforestation in Brazil, with roughly 10per cent of the area of the indigenous reserve near the raid having been deforested this year alone, Loss said.

Brazil steps up environmental enforcement; agents raid illegal miners in Amazon

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