Washington Sanctions Rwanda’s Military Over Congo Intervention

The United States imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s military and four senior officers on 2 March, marking the sharpest escalation in US-Rwanda tensions since President Trump brokered a peace accord less than three months ago. The Treasury Department designated the Rwanda Defence Force and four officials for actively supporting, training, and fighting alongside the M23 rebel group responsible for human rights abuses and mass displacement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. All US-held assets are frozen and American entities are prohibited from transacting with the designated individuals or the RDF.

The move comes days after M23 captured Uvira, a strategic city along the DRC-Burundi border, just after President Trump hosted DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame for the signing of the Washington Accords. According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the department “will use all tools at its disposal to ensure that the parties to the Washington Accords uphold their obligations.” The Sanctions signal Washington’s frustration with Rwanda’s continued military engagement despite diplomatic commitments.

Who Was Sanctioned

The four designated officials are Vincent Nyakarundi, the RDF Army Chief of Staff; Ruki Karusisi, a major general and commander of the RDF’s 5th Infantry Division; Mubarakh Muganga, Chief of Defence Staff; and Stanislas Gashugi, Special Operations Force Commander. Notably absent from the list is Defence Minister Juvenal Marizamunda, who has held the post since June 2023. The US Treasury stated these individuals were “critical to M23’s gains” and that M23’s offensives would not have been possible without the active support and complicity of the RDF and key senior officials.

According to Al Jazeera, with RDF support, M23 has engaged in extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture, while in January 2025, the RDF carried out attacks against Congolese armed forces and UN peacekeepers. In exchange for its support for M23, Rwanda has gained access to mineral-rich areas of eastern DRC that contribute to the financing of M23’s armed rebellion.

Rwanda’s Response

Kigali rejected the designations as politically motivated. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said in a statement that the sanctions “unjustly” target Rwanda and “misrepresent the reality and distort the facts of the conflict” in eastern DRC. According to Capital FM Kenya, Kigali accused the Congolese government of repeatedly violating ceasefire agreements through drone strikes and ground offensives, stating “consistent and indiscriminate drone attacks and ground offensives constitute clear violations of ceasefire agreements by the DRC”.

Rwanda maintains its involvement in eastern DRC is defensive, aimed at neutralizing the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Hutu militia formed by remnants of perpetrators from the 1994 genocide. Kigali stated it was “fully committed to disengagement of its forces in tandem with the DRC implementing their obligations” under US-led mediation, but accused Congo of failing to keep promises such as ending support for militias.

The DRC government, by contrast, expressed its “deep appreciation” of the United States, calling the sanctions “a clear signal of support” for the respect of its “sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

M23’s Territorial Gains

The RDF has supported M23 as it seized territory in eastern DRC, including provincial capitals Goma and Bukavu, along with strategic mining sites. According to US News, M23 has grown from hundreds of members in 2021 to around 6,500 fighters according to the UN, and the conflict has created one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced.

The rebel group captured Goma in January 2025 and Bukavu shortly thereafter. The Congolese government said thousands of people were killed in the M23 advance, while hundreds of thousands were displaced. M23 is one of approximately 100 armed groups operating in mineral-rich eastern Congo, but has emerged as the dominant force due to Rwandan backing.

The Economic Dimension

Control of eastern DRC carries immense strategic value. The region contains vast deposits of coltan, cobalt, gold, and other minerals critical to electronics manufacturing and electric vehicle batteries. According to The Oakland Institute, RDF sources and sources close to the Rwandan government reported that the final objective of Kigali was to control the territory of the DRC and its natural resources. UN investigations have documented fraudulent mineral exports from DRC-controlled mining areas through Rwanda.

The Washington Times noted that Trump praised the December peace deal in part because it opened the region’s critical mineral reserves to the US, underscoring Washington’s commercial interests in stabilizing the area.

The Human Cost

M23 is responsible for horrific human rights abuses, including summary executions and violence against civilians, including women and children, according to the State Department. ACLED data shows violence committed by armed groups in the DRC, including M23, resulted in over 2,500 reported fatalities in the first three months of 2025, making it the most fatal period since 2002.

The conflict compounds an already catastrophic humanitarian situation. Monitoring groups deem the conflict one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with more than eight million people displaced. Aid delivery has been severely constrained, with banks shuttered and infrastructure disrupted across M23-controlled areas.

Regional Implications

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, the Treasury Department warned. Burundi has deployed troops to defend its border, while a Southern African Development Community force including South African, Tanzanian, and Malawian soldiers supports Congolese forces. Nine South African soldiers were killed in fighting around Goma in January.

The sanctions represent a diplomatic gamble for the Trump administration, which has otherwise cultivated ties with Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Rwanda serves as a destination for US migrant deportations and contributes significant peacekeeping forces to UN missions globally.

What to Watch

Whether Rwanda reduces its military footprint in response to sanctions. UN reports documented that after previous international pressure in early 2025, Rwanda temporarily reduced RDF deployments from 6,000 to approximately 1,500 troops, only to surge forces again to 6,000-7,000 by late 2025. Current US intelligence estimates 4,000-7,000 Rwandan soldiers remain deployed in eastern DRC.

DRC military operations in Masisi district. Congolese forces launched a coordinated offensive against M23 positions around 20 February, supported by pro-government Wazalendo militias and drone strikes. The timing suggests Kinshasa is testing whether US pressure on Rwanda creates an opening to recapture lost territory.

Implementation of the Washington Accords and parallel Doha Framework negotiations. Both processes remain stalled, with fundamental disagreements over whether Kinshasa should negotiate directly with M23. The rebels have violated ceasefires repeatedly, most recently by capturing Uvira despite the December peace deal.

Regional mineral supply chains. The conflict disrupts access to critical minerals that power global electronics and EV manufacturing. Any prolonged instability in North and South Kivu provinces could tighten supply and increase costs for downstream manufacturers, particularly as Western governments seek to diversify supply chains away from China.