The United States has imposed sanctions on the Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) and four senior military officials over allegations of providing “direct operational support” to the March 23 Movement (M23) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The U.S. State Department said the action follows continued backing that enabled M23 to capture key cities including Goma, Bukavu and Uvira, amid ongoing fighting in the region. Washington said the group has been linked to serious human rights abuses, including killings and violence against civilians.
M23, already under U.S. and United Nations sanctions, has grown from several hundred members in 2021 to more than 8,000 fighters, according to U.S. estimates. Officials say the group has expanded its territorial control with support from external actors.
The sanctioned officials include Gen. Mubarakh Muganga, RDF Chief of Defence Staff; Maj. Gen. Vincent Nyakarundi, Army Chief of Staff; Maj. Gen. Ruki Karusisi, commander of the 5th Infantry Division; and Brig. Gen. Stanislas Gashugi, Special Operations commander. The U.S. Treasury Department has frozen their property and financial interests under its sanctions authority.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called for the “immediate withdrawal of RDF troops, weapons and equipment” from the DRC, stressing support for stability in the Great Lakes region.
The sanctions were announced shortly after the signing of the Washington Accords for Peace in December 2025 by Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. U.S. officials described the agreement as a turning point for regional cooperation.
Reacting to the measures, Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said the sanctions “misrepresent the reality and distort the facts of the conflict,” arguing that they unfairly target one party to the peace process.
She accused the DRC coalition of including foreign fighters, state-backed militias and armed groups operating alongside Congo’s military. Kigali maintains it remains committed to the Washington Accords and regional economic integration efforts.
The United States and European partners previously warned that renewed M23 offensives in South Kivu risk destabilising the wider region. The latest sanctions reflect growing international pressure to curb external involvement in the conflict and enforce ceasefire commitments.
