The United States has imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence and Zigama Credit and Savings Society over their alleged role in supporting the M23 rebel group and its political wing in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement issued on October 28, 2026, the US Department of the Treasury said the measures targeted Rwanda’s defence ministry and the financial institution for allegedly facilitating military support, financial transactions and other assistance to the armed group.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the sanctions were intended to hold Rwanda accountable for commitments made under the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, signed by the leaders of Rwanda and the DRC on December 4, 2025.
Bessent called on Rwanda to end its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC, where the group has seized territory and taken control of key population centres and mining areas.
Washington accused Rwanda’s security apparatus, including the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), of deploying thousands of troops and supplying M23 with military equipment, logistics and training.
The US government said the alleged support had contributed to human rights abuses, forced labour, civilian exploitation and a worsening humanitarian crisis marked by mass displacement.
The Treasury said the Rwandan Ministry of Defence oversees the country’s security services, including the RDF, which the US sanctioned in March 2026.
It alleged that Rwandan forces had conducted operations alongside M23 in North and South Kivu provinces and supplied the rebels with military equipment and other resources.
The US also accused the RDF of introducing advanced weapons, including surface-to-air missile systems and jamming equipment, into the conflict zone, raising concerns about risks to civilian aviation.
M23’s resurgence began in 2021, and the group captured the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu in early 2025.
According to the US Treasury, the rebels have also seized control of mining areas, including gold sites in South Kivu and the Rubaya coltan-mining area in North Kivu.
Washington alleged that civilians working in mining areas under M23 control have faced forced labour, dangerous working conditions and illegal taxation.
It further claimed that minerals from these territories enter supply chains through Rwanda, pointing to a discrepancy between Rwanda’s domestic mining capacity and reported mineral export volumes since the rebellion resumed.
The second target, Zigama Credit and Savings Society, was accused of facilitating payments for weapons, ammunition and other military equipment for the RDF, as well as travel and accommodation costs associated with military training.
The Treasury also alleged that a Zigama branch helped transport gold sourced from M23-controlled territory in eastern DRC to Rwanda’s capital, Kigali.
The institution was further accused of facilitating financial transactions worth tens of millions of dollars for M23 and the Congo River Alliance, the group’s political wing.
The announcement comes amid wider US efforts to support a negotiated resolution to the conflict in eastern DRC.
The Washington Accords were intended to advance peace while establishing a regional economic framework to expand trade and investment, improve transparency in critical-mineral supply chains and attract investment to the Great Lakes region.
Under the sanctions, assets belonging to the designated entities that are located in the United States or held or controlled by US persons must be frozen and reported to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Entities owned 50 per cent or more, directly or indirectly, by sanctioned parties are also subject to blocking restrictions.
The measures generally prohibit US persons and transactions within or transiting the United States from dealing with the blocked entities unless authorised by an OFAC licence or otherwise exempt.
Violations may attract civil or criminal penalties, and non-US persons may also face sanctions exposure for certain transactions or attempts to evade the restrictions.
The US Treasury said sanctions are intended not only to restrict access to assets and financial services but also to encourage changes in behaviour.
The latest action places additional pressure on Rwanda as Washington seeks to enforce commitments aimed at ending the conflict in eastern DRC.
