US sanctions Rwanda's defence ministry over M23 support in DR Congo

The United States has imposed sanctions on Rwanda's defence ministry over its alleged support for the M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, escalating pressure on Kigali to pull its troops out of the region and cut off the rebels. "Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. The measures come months after Rwanda and DR Congo signed a US-brokered peace agreement intended to end the conflict. The Washington Accords, signed by the Congolese and Rwandan presidents in December 2025 under American mediation, aimed to halt the fighting and expand regional trade and investment, but clashes have continued. Fighting has raged in eastern DR Congo since early 2025, when M23 seized the cities of Goma and later Bukavu. Rwanda denies backing the group. The US Treasury says Rwanda's defence ministry directed thousands of troops to fight alongside M23 in eastern DR Congo, providing weapons, equipment, logistics and training. The rebels have seized mineral-rich territory, including gold-mining sites in South Kivu and Rubaya, a major coltan-producing area in North Kivu. Washington alleges that minerals from rebel-held areas enter Rwanda's supply chains, pointing to the fact that Rwanda exports more minerals than it produces. The new sanctions also target Zigama Credit and Savings Society, a bank serving Rwanda's security services. The US alleges it facilitated tens of millions of dollars in transactions for M23 and its political wing, the Congo River Alliance, helped pay for military equipment for Rwandan forces from China, and enabled gold to be moved from rebel-controlled areas to Kigali. The measures freeze the designated entities' assets under US jurisdiction and generally bar American individuals and businesses from dealing with them, with violations subject to penalties. The action builds on earlier US steps, including sanctions against Rwanda's army and four senior military commanders in March 2026, and penalties in June 2026 against the Gasabo gold refinery and three mining companies accused of smuggling conflict minerals. DR Congo welcomed the sanctions. A day before the announcement, President Félix Tshisekedi had urged the international community to increase pressure on Kigali. "We must firmly demand that the international community impose concrete sanctions against Rwanda and exert increased pressure, so that we may finally secure a lasting peace in our country," he said on 24 October. In a statement to Reuters, the Congolese foreign ministry called on Rwanda to honour its commitments under the accords, respect the UN Charter and withdraw its troops from Congolese territory. Rwanda rejects the accusations and points back at Kinshasa. "The Washington Accords contain clear commitments regarding Rwanda's security, specifically the neutralization of the DR Congo-sponsored FDLR genocidal militia, which are wholly unmet, and with no accountability," government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told the BBC. The FDLR is a militia linked to perpetrators of Rwanda's 1994 genocide, whose presence in eastern DR Congo Kigali cites to justify its military posture. "Rwanda remains ready to fully implement the Washington Accords, concurrently with the willingness of the DRC to fulfill those commitments, and with the mediator holding all parties accountable," she said. Pressure on Kigali is also mounting over its international sports partnerships. In a letter sent to NBA commissioner Adam Silver on 23 October, US senators Jeff Merkley and Marsha Blackburn questioned the league's continued commercial relationship with Rwanda amid allegations of human rights abuses. The NBA has yet to issue a substantive response. Rwanda has used high-profile sponsorships to raise its international profile, recently securing a 10-year deal to host Formula 1's African Grand Prix in the early 2030s, though its Arsenal sponsorship ended in 2026 and Bayern Munich has also ended its partnership with Visit Rwanda. The conflict has taken on a new dimension in recent months, with M23 joining a new rebel coalition, the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation, led by former Congolese President Joseph Kabila, which seeks to oust Tshisekedi's government.