On Monday, the United States imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s defence forces and senior military leaders over their involvement in ongoing clashes in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Washington has also demanded that Rwandan troops withdraw immediately from the mineral-rich region.
U.S. officials argue that Rwanda’s military operations are undermining a peace agreement signed between the two nations last December, which was facilitated by the United States.
At the time of the deal, President Donald Trump called it a “great miracle” after years of conflict in eastern Congo but cautioned that any violations would result in serious consequences.
However, shortly after the agreement, M23 rebels, allegedly supported by Rwanda, seized control of Uvira, a key regional city, before eventually withdrawing under pressure from the United States.
Rwanda has consistently denied providing support to the rebels, but the U.S. Treasury Department claimed that M23’s territorial advances would have been impossible without Rwandan backing.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated that “M23, which is sanctioned by both the U.S. and UN, is responsible for grave human rights violations, including summary executions and attacks on civilians, including women and children.”
The Rwandan government, for its part, argued that the sanctions unfairly target only one side of the conflict and misrepresent the situation.
Officials in Kigali affirmed that they remain “fully committed to disengaging their forces in line with the DRC fulfilling its obligations” under the U.S.-led mediation.
At the same time, Rwanda accused Kinshasa of failing to uphold its commitments, such as ceasing support for militias operating in eastern DRC.
The sanctions represent a significant setback for Rwanda, which has long maintained close diplomatic and strategic ties with the United States, Britain, and other European countries.
Trump had previously highlighted the December peace deal as a way to secure essential minerals for the United States from the resource-rich DRC.
Under the new sanctions, any assets held by the Rwanda Defence Force or the four top officers in the U.S. will be frozen, and financial transactions with them will be prohibited.