The United States (U.S.) has imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) and four of its senior officials for supporting, training, and fighting alongside the March 23 Movement (M23) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
In a statement, the United States accused M23 a group sanctioned by both the U.S. and United Nations (UN) for committing human rights abuses and mass displacement crisis in DRC.
The four sanctioned officials are Vincent Nyakarundi, RDF Army Chief of Staff, Ruki Karusisi, Major General, RDF 5th Infantry Division Commander, Mubarakh Muganga, RDF Chief of Defence Staff and Stanislas Gashugi, RDF Special Operations Force Commander.
According to U.S. the RDF has supported M23 as it seized territory in eastern DRC, including provincial capitals Goma and Bukavu, along with strategic mining sites in eastern DRC.
“M23’s offensives would not have been possible without the active support and complicity of the RDF and key senior officials,” the statement read.
This comes days after the U.S President Donald Trump presided over the December 4, 2025 signing of the historic Joint Declaration of the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity with DRC President Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Kagame, Rwanda-backed M23 fighters captured the Congolese city of Uvira, in clear violation of the Washington Accords.
“President Trump is the Peace President, and Treasury will use all tools at its disposal to ensure that the parties to the Washington Accords uphold their obligations,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. Adding that: “We expect the immediate withdrawal of Rwanda Defence Force troops, weapons, and equipment.”
The U.S. says the military offensive resulted in civilian deaths and forced thousands of residents to flee their homes, risking escalating the conflict into a broader regional war.
“Despite its subsequent exit from Uvira, M23’s continued presence near the border with Burundi and the RDF’s continued support for M23 carries the risk of escalating the conflict into a broader regional war. ”
In a joint statement issued by the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes, the United States denounced M23 and RDF military operations and called on the RDF to withdraw from eastern DRC.
Sanctions implications
The sanctions block all U.S. based property and interests of the RDF and the designated officials and prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with them.
Additionally, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 pc or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.
“As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC),” read the statement. “In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.”
Further the statement noted that unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons.
OFAC
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on US foreign policy and national security goals against targeted foreign countries and regimes, terrorists, international narcotics traffickers, those engaged in activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other threats to the national security, foreign policy or economy of the United States.
Also read https://www.kbc.co.ke/rwanda-hails-doha-accord-to-end-drc-conflict-hails-qatar-u-s-mediation/
