US sanctions Rwanda's defence ministry over eastern DR Congo conflict

The United States has imposed sanctions on Rwanda's defence ministry over its alleged role in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Washington says the ministry supported the M23 rebel group and is pressing Kigali to withdraw its troops from Congolese territory. The move adds fresh pressure to efforts to contain a war that has continued despite a US-brokered peace agreement.

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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and pull its forces out of eastern DRC. The Treasury said Rwanda's defence ministry directed thousands of troops to fight alongside M23, and provided weapons, equipment, logistics and training. Rwanda denies backing the group.

The sanctions were announced on 29 October 2026, months after Rwanda and DR Congo signed a peace deal under US mediation. The conflict has remained active since early 2025, when M23 seized the cities of Goma and Bukavu. The rebel group has also taken mineral-rich areas, including gold-mining sites in South Kivu and Rubaya, a major coltan-producing area in North Kivu.

The US says minerals from rebel-held territory enter Rwanda's supply chains, and has alleged that Rwanda exports more minerals than it produces. The sanctions are intended to reinforce the Washington Accords, which were signed by the Congolese and Rwandan presidents in December 2025. The latest measures matter because eastern DR Congo is one of Africa's most volatile conflict zones and a major source of strategic minerals used in global supply chains.

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Control of mining areas has long been tied to armed groups, cross-border tensions and regional diplomacy. The US action also signals that Washington is willing to use financial pressure to back its mediation efforts after the peace agreement failed to stop the fighting. The sanctions follow renewed calls for pressure on Kigali from Congolese officials.

On 24 October, DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi urged the international community to impose concrete sanctions against Rwanda and increase pressure to secure lasting peace. DR Congo's foreign ministry later welcomed the US move and urged Rwanda to honour its commitments under the Washington Accords, respect the UN Charter and withdraw its troops. Rwanda has rejected the accusations and says the agreement's security commitments, including action against the FDLR militia, have not been met.

What happens next will depend on whether the sanctions change Rwanda's calculations or lead to further diplomatic friction. It remains unclear whether the measures will alter conditions on the ground in eastern DRC, where fighting has continued despite the accord. The wider test is whether the Washington Accords can still serve as a framework for de-escalation, trade and investment, or whether the conflict will continue to outpace diplomacy.

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