The United States has imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and four of its senior commanders, accusing them of fuelling the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The move comes just three months after a high-profile peace agreement was signed in Washington.
The December deal, known as the Washington Accords, was signed by Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The ceremony was hosted by US President Donald Trump, who described the signing as “historic” and voiced hope that it would bring lasting peace. But fighting has not stopped.
In a statement, the US Treasury Department accused the Rwandan army of undermining the agreement by supporting the M23 rebel group. It said the rebels’ operations would not have been possible without “the active support and complicity” of the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) and key senior officials.
“The RDF has introduced advanced military equipment to the battlefield in eastern DRC, including GPS jamming systems, air defense equipment, drones, and additional materiel,” the statement said.
According to BBC, thousands of Rwandan troops have been deployed in eastern DR Congo, where they are directly involved in combat and help the M23 hold territory. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US expects “the immediate withdrawal of Rwanda Defense Force troops, weapons, and equipment”.
The sanctions freeze any assets the RDF and the four officers may hold in the United States. They also block American citizens and companies from doing business with them.
The officers named include army chief of staff Vincent Nyakarundi, Ruki Karusisi, commander of the 5th Infantry Division, Mubarakh Muganga, Rwanda’s chief of defence staff, and Stanislas Gashugi, head of special operations.
The US State Department also accused the M23 of grave abuses. Spokesman Tommy Pigott said the group was “responsible for horrific human rights abuses, including summary executions and violence against civilians, including women and children”.
Rwanda quickly rejected the sanctions. Kigali said the measures had unfairly focused on one side and “misrepresent the reality and distort the facts of the conflict”. It accused the Congolese army of breaking ceasefire terms through “consistent and indiscriminate drone attacks and ground offensives,” which it said, “continue to cost many lives”.
The Rwandan government added: “Protecting our country is a badge of honor which the Rwanda Defense Force carries very proudly,” and repeated its long-standing claim that its actions are defensive.
On the other side, Kinshasa welcomed the move. The Congolese government expressed its “deep appreciation” to U.S., calling the sanctions “a clear signal of support” for respect of its “sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
The renewed tension comes after M23 fighters captured the city of Uvira near the Burundi border, forcing thousands to flee. The rebels later withdrew under pressure from the United States. However, the US Treasury warned that the group’s continued presence near Burundi’s border carries the risk of escalating the conflict into a broader regional war.
Eastern DR Congo has suffered from armed conflict for more than three decades, rooted partly in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The region is rich in minerals such as copper and cobalt, key materials used in batteries for mobile phones and electric vehicles.
When the Washington deal was signed, President Trump pointed to the economic promise of peace, including access to critical minerals. Now, with sanctions in place, the question is whether financial pressure can succeed where diplomacy has so far struggled.