Tuesday, March, 3 2026 - The United States has imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and four of its top commanders, accusing them of providing direct operational support to the March 23 Movement (M23) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The move comes less than three months after the signing of
the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, a US-backed agreement aimed at
reducing tensions and fostering cooperation in the Great Lakes region.
Announcing the measures in Washington, US officials said the
sanctions were triggered by M23’s seizure of Uvira shortly after the December
4, 2025 signing of the accords — an action described as a direct breach of the
peace deal.
According to Thomas Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson,
Rwanda’s continued military backing has enabled M23 fighters to capture
Congolese territory and carry out serious abuses.
The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control
(OFAC) said the RDF allegedly deployed thousands of troops into eastern Congo
and supplied M23 with advanced military hardware, including drones, air defense
systems and GPS jamming equipment. The department also accused Rwanda’s
military leadership of providing training and recruitment support to the rebel
group.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would use
every available tool to ensure compliance with the Washington Accords, calling
for the immediate withdrawal of Rwandan troops, weapons and equipment from
Congolese territory.
The four officials sanctioned are:
Vincent
Nyakarundi – Army Chief of Staff
Ruki
Karusisi – Commander, 5th Infantry Division
Mubarakh
Muganga – Chief of Defence Staff
Stanislas
Gashugi – Special Operations Force Commander
Under the sanctions, any property or financial interests
belonging to the RDF and the named officers within the United States — or under
the control of US persons are frozen. Americans are also barred from conducting
transactions with the designated individuals and entities, with violations
carrying potential civil and criminal penalties.
The rebel group has consistently accused the Congolese
government of breaching ceasefire agreements, including claims that one of its
commanders was killed in a February drone strike. Meanwhile, Kinshasa has long
alleged that Rwanda is backing the insurgency to destabilize mineral-rich
eastern Congo.
Despite M23’s reported withdrawal from Uvira days after
capturing the city, US officials say continued support from Rwanda risks
escalating tensions and undermining fragile peace efforts in the region.
0 Comments