Kagame in US crosshairs after sanctions over alleged M23 backing
Washington says the recent offensives by M23 fighters would not have been possible without the “active support” of the Rwandan government and senior military officials
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame is facing mounting pressure from the administration of Donald Trump after the United States imposed sanctions on senior officers of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) over allegations that Kigali is backing the rebel group March 23 Movement (M23) in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
M23 is an active, mainly Tutsi-led rebel group operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that was founded in 2012 by former CNDP fighters, M23 takes its name from a 2009 peace agreement, claiming to defend Tutsi interests and fight government corruption. They are heavily active in North Kivu.
The sanctions were announced by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, targeting the RDF and four senior commanders accused of supporting the insurgent group blamed for widespread violence and human rights abuses in Congo’s volatile east.
Those sanctioned include RDF army chief of staff Major General Vincent Nyakarundi, Chief of Defence Staff General Mubarakh Muganga, Major General Ruki Karusisi and Special Operations Force commander Stanislas Gashugi.
Washington says the recent offensives by M23 fighters would not have been possible without the “active support” of the Rwandan government and senior military officials.
The move places Kagame’s government under renewed scrutiny just months after he and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement in Washington in December 2025 alongside Trump.
At the time, Trump praised the leaders for what he described as a bold step toward ending the conflict while opening up the mineral-rich region to American investment and strategic partnerships.
However, despite the accord, clashes have continued across several fronts in eastern Congo, with both civilian and military casualties reported.
The conflict revolves largely around control of the resource-rich region bordering Rwanda. M23 remains the most powerful among nearly 100 armed groups operating in eastern Congo.
According to the United Nations, the rebel group has grown dramatically in strength, expanding from a few hundred fighters in 2021 to an estimated 6,500 combatants today.
The protracted violence has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. More than seven million people have been displaced in eastern Congo, according to the UN refugee agency.
U.S. officials say the sanctions signal Washington’s determination to enforce the Washington peace agreement and ensure compliance by all parties.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States expects the immediate withdrawal of RDF troops, weapons and military equipment from Congolese territory.
“We will use all tools at our disposal to ensure that the parties to the Washington Accords uphold their obligations,” Bessent said.
Rwanda has strongly rejected the accusations. Government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said the sanctions unfairly target Kigali and misrepresent the reality of the conflict, accusing Congo of violating the peace agreement through drone attacks and ground offensives.
Meanwhile, negotiations between the Congolese government and M23 rebels are ongoing, with mediation efforts led by the African Union, Qatar and the United States in a renewed attempt to end the long-running conflict.
