US Sanctions Rwanda's Defense Ministry Over Eastern Congo Conflict

The United States imposed sanctions on Rwanda's Ministry of Defense on October 28, 2026, over the fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the U.S. Treasury Department and Reuters. Sanctions are restrictions a government places on named people, companies or institutions, limiting their dealings with the country that imposes them.

The U.S. State Department said Rwanda must stop supporting the March 23 Movement, known as M23, and any successor armed groups, and must withdraw its forces from eastern Congo. Rwanda denies backing M23.

M23 is an armed group that seized the cities of Goma and Bukavu in eastern Congo in early 2025. The United States has sanctioned M23 since 2013. Treasury has described the group as Rwandan-backed in connection with smuggling minerals from eastern Congo to Rwanda.

The sanctions announced in October follow a series of earlier U.S. measures tied to the conflict. On March 2, 2026, the United States sanctioned the Rwanda Defence Force, Rwanda's army, and several top military officials. Treasury said the force had supported M23 as it seized Goma and Bukavu. On June 2, the Treasury sanctioned John Imani Nzenze, an M23 commander and its chief of intelligence. In April, the United States also sanctioned former Congolese president Joseph Kabila.

Treasury has said that the United States expects Rwanda to withdraw its troops and military equipment from the Democratic Republic of Congo and to cease all support to M23.

According to the New York Times, M23 launched a new political arm before the latest sanctions were announced.