US Sanctions Rwanda’s Defence Ministry Over M23 Support

The United States has imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence and Zigama Credit and Savings Society over alleged support for the March 23 Movement (M23) armed group operating in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The US State Department announced the sanctions in a statement on Wednesday, accusing Rwanda of deploying thousands of Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) troops to support M23 operations in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

Washington also accused the RDF of supplying the rebel group with weapons, including surface-to-air missiles, and equipment used to jam signals, which it said posed a threat to civilian air travel.

The State Department said Rwanda’s alleged actions violated the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, signed by the leaders of Rwanda and the DRC in December 2025 under the Trump administration.

The agreement was designed to end the conflict in eastern DRC and promote peace, trade and investment across Africa’s Great Lakes region.

“Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence’s support for M23 violates those obligations and undermines the Washington Accords’ goals of peace and prosperity,” the statement said.

The US urged Rwanda to end its support for M23 and any successor armed groups and withdraw its forces from eastern DRC.

Washington also expressed concern over alleged forced labour, unsafe working conditions and illegal taxation in gold and coltan mining areas under M23 control, including Rubaya in North Kivu.

The Trump administration called on private-sector companies to scrutinise their supply chains to ensure that armed groups and their supporters did not profit from the DRC’s mineral resources.

The US further urged all parties to respect the DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, warning that it would use available measures to hold accountable those prolonging the conflict.