By Daphne Psaledakis
WASHINGTON, Oct 28 (Reuters) - The US imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s ministry of defense on Wednesday over the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as Washington seeks to increase pressure on Kigali and bring an end to the fighting.
Clashes have continued in eastern Congo, where rebels, who the UN says are backed by Rwanda, are fighting Congolese forces and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Hutu militia rooted in the 1994 genocide.
Rwanda denies backing the Refoundation of the Nation rebels, formerly known as AFC-M23.
“Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.
US President Donald Trump’s administration has sought to broker peace between the two countries, which signed a deal in 2025 to end fighting. So far those efforts have brought little change on the ground.
Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said the Washington Accords contain commitments on the neutralization of the FDLR that are 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 added.
Congo’s ministry of foreign affairs welcomed the sanctions in a statement.
“These sanctions send a clear message that Rwanda cannot act with impunity… Rwanda must honor its commitments under the Washington Accords, respect the UN Charter, and withdraw its tens of thousands of troops from the DRC,” the statement read.
The US Treasury Department in the statement said that the Rwandan ministry of defense directed the Rwanda Defense Force, which was previously sanctioned by Washington, to deploy thousands of troops across eastern Congo’s North and South Kivu provinces, where they conducted operations alongside the rebels and provided the armed group with military equipment and other support.
The US on Wednesday also imposed Congo-related sanctions on Zigama Credit and Savings Society, which it said was a Rwandan financial institution operating on behalf of the country’s security services. The Treasury accused it of playing a key role in facilitating Rwanda’s support for the rebels.
The Treasury said the financial institution had facilitated payments to entities in China and other countries for weapons, ammunition and other military equipment for the Rwanda Defense Force. A Zigama branch also enabled the transportation of gold from rebel-controlled territory in Congo to Rwanda, the Treasury added.
Zigama’s CEO did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Katharine Jackson and Daphne Psaledakis; Additional reporting by Ammu Kannampilly and Vincent Mumo Nzilani in Nairobi, Ange Kasongo in Kinshasa and Robbie Corey-Boulet in Dakar; Editing by Michelle Nichols, Alison Williams, Sanjeev Miglani and Bill Berkrot)
