Washington imposes sanctions on Rwanda’s army and officers for backing M23 rebels, violating a US-brokered peace agreement in the DRC.
WASHINGTON: The United States has imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s military, targeting a longstanding partner it accuses of violating a peace agreement in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the sanctions target the Rwanda Defense Force and four officers, including army chief of staff Vincent Nyakarundi. “The continued backing from the RDF and its senior leadership has enabled M23 to capture DRC sovereign territory and continue these grave abuses,” he said in a statement.
The action follows a peace deal brokered by President Donald Trump in December, which brought together the leaders of Rwanda and the DRC. Trump had predicted a “great miracle” after years of violence in the resource-rich nation.
Just days after the signing, Rwandan-backed M23 fighters captured a key city in the DRC. “M23, a US- and UN-sanctioned entity, is responsible for horrific human rights abuses, including summary executions and violence against civilians, including women and children,” Pigott stated.
The sanctions will block any US assets held by the RDF or the four officers and criminalise financial transactions with them. “As President Trump has made clear, the United States is prepared to use all available tools to ensure the DRC and Rwanda deliver on the promises of this historic agreement,” Pigott added.
Rwanda has consistently denied providing direct support to the M23 rebel group. It has instead demanded that the Kinshasa government clamp down on Hutu militants linked to the 1994 genocide.
Trump had previously sounded positive about working with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who has been willing to accept migrants deported from the United States. The December peace deal was also hailed by Trump as a way to secure critical minerals from the DRC.
