Sanctions imposed on Rwanda's Defence Ministry

The US has imposed sanctions on Rwanda's Defence Ministry over its alleged support for the M23 rebel group in eastern DRC, increasing pressure on Kigali to withdraw its troops and halt support for the rebels, reports BBC News. ‘Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC,’ US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. The sanctions come months after Rwanda and DRC signed a US-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict. Fighting has continued in eastern DRC since January 2025, when M23 seized the cities of Goma and Bukavu. Rwanda denies backing M23. The US Treasury said Rwanda's Defence Ministry directed thousands of troops to fight alongside M23 in eastern DRC, providing weapons, equipment, logistics and training. The sanctions are intended to reinforce the Washington Accords, signed by the Congolese and Rwandan Presidents in December 2025 under US mediation. The deal aimed to end the conflict and expand regional trade and investment, but fighting has continued.

Full BBC News report