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The United States has imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s military, accusing it of breaching a peace agreement in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The move comes months after US President Donald Trump brokered a deal between Rwanda and the DRC aimed at ending years of conflict.Â
However, Washington says the situation deteriorated shortly after, with M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwanda, seizing key territory in eastern Congo.
According to the US State Department, sanctions target the Rwanda Defence Force and four senior officers, including army chief of staff Vincent Nyakarundi, for their role in supporting the armed group’s advances.
“M23, a US- and UN-sanctioned entity, is responsible for horrific human rights abuses, including summary executions and violence against civilians, including women and children,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.
“The continued backing from the RDF and its senior leadership has enabled M23 to capture DRC sovereign territory and continue these grave abuses.
“As President Trump has made clear, the United States is prepared to use all available tools to ensure the DRC and Rwanda deliver on the promises of this historic agreement.”
The sanctions will freeze any assets linked to those affected within the United States and prohibit financial transactions with them.
Trump had earlier sounded positive about working with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, a veteran leader who has also been willing to take in migrants deported from the United States, a top political goal for Trump.
The December peace deal had been hailed by Trump as a way to secure critical minerals from the resource-rich DRC.
Rwanda has denied supporting the M23 rebels; instead, it has demanded that the Kinshasa government clamp down on Hutu militias linked to the 1994 genocide.
