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, increasing pressure on Kigali to withdraw its troops and halt support for the rebels. "Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. The sanctions come months after Rwanda and DR Congo signed a US-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict.
Fighting has continued in eastern DR Congo since early 2025, when M23 seized the cities of Goma and Bukavu. Rwanda denies backing M23. 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 M23 has seized mineral-rich areas, including gold-mining sites in South Kivu and Rubaya, a major coltan-producing area in North Kivu. Washington says minerals from rebel-held territory enter Rwanda's supply chains, alleging that Rwanda exports more minerals than it produces. Inside the Congolese mine vital to mobile phones, as rebels give BBC rare access The evidence that shows Rwanda is backing rebels in DR Congo The sanctions are intended to reinforce the Washington Accords, signed by the Congolese and Rwandan presidents in December 2025 under US mediation.
The deal aimed to end the conflict and expand regional trade and investment, but fighting has continued. On 24 October, ahead of the sanctions announcement, DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi urged the international community to increase pressure on Rwanda. "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.
In a statement to , DR Congo foreign ministry welcomed the sanctions and urged Rwanda to honour its commitments under the Washington Accords, respect the UN Charter and withdraw its troops from Congolese territory. "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," Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told the BBC. The FDLR is a militia linked to perpetrators of Rwanda's 1994 genocide.
Kigali considers it a security threat and cites its presence in eastern DR Congo 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. The US also sanctioned Zigama Credit and Savings Society, a popular bank and financial institution serving Rwanda's security services.
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