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The United States imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence on October 28, 2026, accusing Kigali of backing M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to the US Treasury Department. The measures also targeted Zigama Credit and Savings Society, a financial institution that serves Rwanda’s security forces.
What the sanctions cover
The sanctions were announced by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, together with the Department of State, Reuters reported. They freeze any US-linked assets of the designated entities and bar US persons from dealing with them, the standard effect of such designations.
According to the Treasury statement, the Rwandan defence ministry directed the Rwanda Defence Force to deploy thousands of troops across eastern Congo’s North and South Kivu provinces, where they conducted operations alongside M23 and provided the group with military equipment, supplies, logistical support and training.
Washington also alleged that Rwandan forces introduced advanced weaponry to the battlefield, including surface-to-air missile systems and jamming equipment, creating risks for civilian aviation in eastern DRC. The Treasury further alleged that civilians in areas under M23 control have faced forced labour, unsafe mining conditions and illegal taxation.
Zigama Credit and Savings Society was accused of processing transactions worth tens of millions of dollars on behalf of M23 and its political wing, the Congo River Alliance, including paying suppliers in China and elsewhere for military equipment and helping move gold from rebel-held areas to Kigali.
Why Washington acted now
US officials said the action followed Kigali’s breach of commitments under the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, signed on December 4, 2025, by the presidents of Rwanda and the DRC under US mediation. The deal was meant to end fighting between the two countries, but clashes have continued in mineral-rich eastern Congo.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the action delivered on a promise to hold Rwanda accountable for its commitments under the accords. “Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC,” Bessent said in the Treasury statement.
The Trump administration has sought to broker peace between Rwanda and the DRC, and the December 2025 signing ceremony in Washington was presented at the time as a breakthrough. US officials now say those efforts have brought little change on the ground, where fighting continues between Congolese government forces and the rebels.
The United Nations says M23 is backed by Rwanda. Rwanda denies backing the group, which is formally known as the Refoundation of the Nation rebels and was formerly called AFC-M23.
What Rwanda and Congo said
Congo’s ministry of foreign affairs welcomed the sanctions in a statement. “These sanctions send a clear message that Rwanda cannot act with impunity,” the statement read, adding that Rwanda must honour its commitments under the Washington Accords, respect the UN Charter and withdraw its troops from the DRC.
Rwanda’s government did not immediately accept the US account. Government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said the Washington Accords contain commitments on the neutralisation of the FDLR, a Hutu militia rooted in the 1994 genocide, that remain unmet. “Rwanda remains ready to fully implement the Washington Accords, concurrently with the willingness of the DRC to fulfill those commitments, and with the mediator holding all parties accountable,” she said.
The FDLR, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, is one of the armed groups fighting in eastern Congo alongside Congolese forces against M23, according to Reuters.
The conflict behind the sanctions
M23 re-emerged as a major force in 2021 and captured Goma and Bukavu, the provincial capitals of North and South Kivu respectively, in early 2025, according to reports on the conflict. The group has also taken control of mineral-producing areas, including gold mining sites in South Kivu and the Rubaya coltan-mining zone in North Kivu.
US officials say minerals from these areas flow into Rwandan supply chains, and have pointed out that Rwanda’s reported exports exceed what it can produce domestically. The Treasury’s allegations link the mineral trade to the financing of the rebellion, an argument that has long featured in UN reporting on eastern Congo.
Eastern Congo’s war has displaced large numbers of civilians and drawn repeated international warnings about the humanitarian situation. The US sanctions mark a significant escalation in international pressure on Kigali, moving from earlier targeted measures against individual commanders and the Rwanda Defence Force itself to the defence ministry that directs it.
What happens next
The practical effect of the sanctions will depend on how far they bite into the financial and logistical networks Washington has identified. Zigama’s designation is aimed at the money flows behind the rebellion, while the ministry designation raises the diplomatic cost for Kigali.
Whether the measures push the parties back to the Washington Accords framework remains uncertain. Rwanda says it is ready to implement the accords alongside reciprocal steps by the DRC, while Congo says Kigali must first withdraw its troops. The mediator, the United States, has now tied its leverage to compliance rather than to further negotiation rounds.
For now, the fighting in North and South Kivu continues, and the sanctions add a new layer of pressure on a conflict that has resisted several rounds of diplomacy.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the US sanction Rwanda’s defence ministry?
The US Treasury said the ministry directed Rwandan troops to fight alongside M23 rebels in eastern DRC and supplied them with weapons, equipment, logistics and training, in breach of commitments under the Washington Accords.
What is Zigama Credit and Savings Society?
It is a financial institution serving Rwanda’s security forces. Washington accused it of processing tens of millions of dollars in transactions for M23 and its political wing, including payments for military equipment and gold movements.
What are the Washington Accords?
They are a peace agreement signed on December 4, 2025, by the presidents of Rwanda and the DRC under US mediation, intended to end fighting in eastern Congo. The US says Kigali breached its commitments under the deal.
Has Rwanda responded to the sanctions?
Rwanda denies backing M23. Its government spokesperson said commitments on neutralising the FDLR militia remain unmet and that Rwanda is ready to implement the accords alongside reciprocal steps by the DRC.
