U.S. sanctions Rwandan Defence Force for violating Washington Accords peace deal with DRC
The U.S. government has imposed fresh sanctions on the Rwandan Defence Force and four of its senior officers, accusing them of sabotaging the Washington Accords aimed at securing a ceasefire in the long-running conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Weeks after President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and President Felix Tshisekedi of the DRC signed a peace agreement brokered by President Donald Trump in December 2025, the U.S. Department of State on Monday accused Rwandan authorities of backing the March 23 Movement (M23) in its seizure of Uvira territory in eastern Congo.
“Rwanda-backed M23 fighters captured the Congolese city of Uvira, in clear violation of the Washington Accords,” reads a statement by Thomas Pigott, deputy spokesperson for the Department of State. “M23, a U.S.- and UN-sanctioned entity, is responsible for horrific human rights abuses, including summary executions and violence against civilians, including women and children.”
The State Department said the M23 leveraged Rwanda’s consistent support to seize the Congolese sovereign territory.
“The continued backing from the RDF and its senior leadership has enabled M23 to capture DRC sovereign territory and continue these grave abuses,” the statement said.
“Today, the United States is sanctioning the Rwandan Defense Force (RDF) and four senior RDF officers for their direct operational support to the March 23 Movement (M23) and its affiliates in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),” the statement released on Monday read.
The Trump administration reaffirmed “its support for peace and stability in eastern DRC and the wider region” and stressed that it would use all “available tools” including sanctions to ensure compliance with the accord.
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