US Sanctions Rwanda’s Defence Ministry, Financial Institution Over DR Congo Conflict
US Sanctions Rwanda’s Defence Ministry, Financial Institution Over DR Congo Conflict
“Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC,” he added.
The United States Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence and a Rwandan financial institution, Zigama Credit and Savings Society, over their alleged roles in supporting the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the sanctions on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, accusing the Rwandan defence ministry of directing military operations in eastern DRC and Zigama of facilitating payments for weapons, military equipment and activities linked to the rebellion.
In a statement, 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.
“Today, the United States makes good on President Trump’s promise to hold Rwanda accountable for its commitments under the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity,” Bessent said.
“Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC,” he added.
The Washington Accords were signed by the presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on December 4, 2025, as part of efforts to resolve the conflict in eastern DRC and establish a regional economic framework to promote trade, investment and transparency in critical mineral supply chains.
According to the US Treasury, the Rwandan Ministry of Defence oversees the country’s security services, including the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), which Washington sanctioned in March 2026.
The department alleged that, under the direction of the defence ministry, thousands of Rwandan troops had been deployed across North and South Kivu provinces in eastern DRC, where they operate alongside M23 fighters and provide military equipment, supplies, logistical support and training.
It also accused the RDF of introducing advanced weaponry, including surface-to-air missile systems and electronic jamming equipment, into the conflict zone, creating potential risks for civilian aviation.
The Treasury said the defence ministry was sanctioned for allegedly providing financial, material, logistical and technological support, as well as goods and services, to the RDF.
M23, a rebel group designated by the United States and the United Nations, has seized territory across eastern DRC, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu in early 2025.
The US Treasury accused the group of committing human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, unlawful detentions and torture, in areas under its control.
It also alleged that civilians in mining areas controlled by the rebels had been subjected to forced labour, dangerous working conditions and illegal taxation schemes.
The department said M23 had taken control of gold mining sites in South Kivu and the Rubaya coltan-mining area in North Kivu, with minerals from territories under the group’s control allegedly entering supply chains in Rwanda.
“Minerals sourced from M23-controlled territory are integrated into supply chains in Rwanda, whose domestic mining capacity is smaller than export volumes reported since M23’s rebellion began,” the Treasury said.
US Accuses Rwandan Financial Institution Of Financing Rebel Activities
The Treasury also sanctioned Zigama Credit and Savings Society, describing it as a Rwandan financial institution that operates on behalf of the country’s security services.
According to the department, Zigama facilitated payments to companies in China and other countries for weapons, ammunition and military equipment for the RDF. It also allegedly arranged payments for travel and accommodation associated with military training activities.
The US government further accused the institution of facilitating financial transactions worth tens of millions of dollars for M23 and its political wing, the Congo River Alliance.
The Treasury alleged that a Zigama branch had enabled the transportation of gold mined in M23-controlled territory in eastern DRC to Rwanda’s capital, Kigali.
It added that Rwandan government forces maintained strict oversight of gold extracted from mining sites controlled by the RDF and M23.
Zigama was sanctioned for allegedly providing financial, material and logistical support to the RDF, M23 and the Congo River Alliance.
The announcement also noted that the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation declared its formation on October 12 as the successor to the Congo River Alliance.
US Sanctions To Block Assets, Restrict Transactions
Under the sanctions, all property and interests in property belonging to the designated entities that are located in the United States or held or controlled by US persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC.
The restrictions also apply to entities owned, directly or indirectly, by blocked persons at a level of 50 per cent or more.
The Treasury said US persons and transactions conducted within or transiting the United States are generally prohibited from dealing with the blocked entities or their property unless authorised under an applicable licence or exemption.
Violations could attract civil or criminal penalties for both US and foreign persons.
The department warned that non-US persons could also face sanctions-related consequences for causing or conspiring to cause US persons to violate the restrictions, or for engaging in activities designed to evade them.
The sanctions form part of Washington’s broader efforts to pressure Rwanda over the conflict in eastern DRC, where fighting involving M23 has contributed to mass displacement and a severe humanitarian crisis.
The Treasury said the objective of its sanctions programme was to change behaviour rather than punish indefinitely, noting that designated persons could seek removal from the sanctions list in accordance with established procedures.
