A South African and a Zimbabwean working for Canadian gold mining firm Banro have been kidnapped in DR Congo’s restive east, an army spokesman said Saturday.

The incident occurred on Friday morning in the province of South Kivu which borders the neighbouring countries of Rwanda and Burundi.

“The Banro officials were ambushed by armed bandits on Friday at 10:30 am (0830 GMT) between Salamabila and Kitindi in the Maniema region,” Captain Dieudonne Kasereka, regional army spokesman, told AFP, adding that it was in an area where rebel militias operated.