US sanctions Rwanda’s military, four officers over support for M23
The United States on March 2 sanctioned the Rwandan Defense Force and four senior officers for direct operational support to the March 23 Movement and its affiliates in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The U.S. State Department said the action targets the Rwandan Defense Force (RDF) and four senior RDF officers.
According to the State Department, the sanctions are in response to the RDF and senior leadership providing direct operational support to the March 23 Movement (M23) and its affiliates in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The State Department said that days after the Dec. 4, 2025, signing of the Joint Declaration of the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, Rwanda-backed M23 fighters captured the Congolese city of Uvira, which it described as a clear violation of the Washington Accords.
The statement described M23 as a U.S.- and U.N.-sanctioned entity and said it is responsible for human rights abuses, including summary executions and violence against civilians, including women and children.
The State Department said the action was taken under Executive Order 13413, as amended. It directed readers to a Treasury Department press release for more information.
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