The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Rwanda's Ministry of Defence over its alleged support for the M23 rebel group in eastern DR Congo. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the measures, The EastAfrican reported. "Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC," Bessent said, according to The Star.
The US Treasury says the ministry directed thousands of troops to fight alongside M23. It says the ministry also gave the rebels weapons, equipment, logistics and training. M23 has seized mineral-rich areas, including gold-mining sites in South Kivu. It also holds Rubaya, a major coltan-producing area in North Kivu. Washington alleges that minerals from rebel-held territory enter Rwanda's supply chains and that Rwanda exports more minerals than it produces.
Washington also sanctioned Zigama Credit and Savings Society, a financial institution serving Rwanda's security services. It alleges the society handled tens of millions of dollars in transactions for M23 and its political wing, the Congo River Alliance. According to the US, it helped pay for military equipment for Rwandan forces from China and helped move gold from rebel-held areas to Kigali. The sanctions freeze the entities' assets under US jurisdiction. They also generally bar US individuals and businesses from dealing with them.
DR Congo's foreign ministry welcomed the sanctions in a statement to Reuters, The Star reported. It urged Rwanda to honour the Washington Accords, respect the UN Charter and withdraw its troops. On October 24, DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi had called on the international community to impose concrete sanctions on Rwanda. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told the BBC that commitments on Rwanda's security remain unmet. These include neutralising the FDLR, a militia linked to perpetrators of the 1994 genocide. She said Rwanda is ready to implement the accords if DR Congo fulfils its own commitments.
Fighting has continued in eastern DR Congo since early 2025, when M23 seized Goma and Bukavu. The presidents of DR Congo and Rwanda signed the Washington Accords in December 2025 under US mediation, but the fighting did not stop. The US sanctioned Rwanda's army and four senior military commanders in March 2026. In June 2026 it targeted the Gasabo gold refinery and three mining companies accused of smuggling conflict minerals.
The EastAfrican reported that EU Great Lakes envoy Johan Borgstam met Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on the same day. The paper said the talks came as frustration over stalled peace efforts grows. In Washington, senators Jeff Merkley and Marsha Blackburn wrote to NBA commissioner Adam Silver on October 23. They questioned the league's partnership with Rwanda. The NBA has not yet given a substantive response, according to The Star.