UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) – In an apparent violation  of U.N. sanctions, gold from conflict-torn Democratic Republic  of Congo was exported to other African states with the aid of  fake United Nations certificates, a new U.N. report says.

Trade in gold and other minerals from Congo has helped fund  years of fighting between militants and government forces in  the country’s eastern provinces.

The jewel industry has banned trade in so-called “blood”  diamonds from militant-controlled areas of countries like the  Congo. While no such industry restrictions on gold exist, the  purchase of minerals from parts of the Congo controlled by  militants is barred under U.N. Security Council sanctions.

But buyers and dealers continue to buy and sell gold and  other minerals in violation of the ban, said the report from  the U.N. Group of Experts on the Congo, which monitors  compliance with the U.N. sanctions regime.

“The Group has obtained documented evidence showing that  between March 2009 and February 2010, several fraudulent  ‘United Nations certificates’ were forged by persons unknown to  facilitate the sale of Congolese gold to buyers in regional  states,” said the report, which was obtained by Reuters yesterday.