KEY POINTS
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US sanctions Rwanda’s defence ministry over alleged support for Congo rebels.
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Rwandan financial institution Zigama is accused of facilitating military purchases and gold transfers.
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Congo welcomed the sanctions, while Rwanda said obligations under the peace deal remain unmet.
The United States has imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence and a Rwandan financial institution over their alleged support for rebels fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as Washington seeks to pressure Kigali to help end the conflict.
The sanctions, announced on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, target Rwanda’s alleged military support for the Refoundation of the Nation rebels, formerly known as AFC/M23. The United Nations has said the group receives backing from Rwanda, an allegation the Rwandan government denies.
The move comes despite US efforts to broker peace between Rwanda and the DRC, which signed an agreement in 2025 aimed at ending the fighting.
US accuses Rwanda of supporting rebels
The US Treasury Department said Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence directed the Rwanda Defence Force to deploy thousands of troops across North and South Kivu provinces in eastern Congo.
According to the department, Rwandan forces conducted operations alongside the rebels and supplied the armed group with military equipment and other forms of support.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on Rwanda to stop supporting M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern Congo.
The sanctions are part of Washington’s effort to increase pressure on Rwanda as clashes continue between the rebels, Congolese government forces and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Hutu militia with roots in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The US government had previously imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force.
Rwandan financial institution also targeted
Washington also sanctioned Zigama Credit and Savings Society, a Rwandan financial institution that the US Treasury said operates on behalf of the country’s security services.
The department accused the institution of playing a key role in facilitating Rwanda’s alleged support for the rebels.
According to the US government, Zigama helped process payments to entities in China and other countries for weapons, ammunition and other military equipment intended for the Rwanda Defence Force.
The Treasury Department further alleged that a branch of the institution enabled gold to be transported from rebel-controlled areas of Congo into Rwanda.
Zigama’s chief executive officer had not immediately responded to a request for comment, according to Reuters.
The sanctions extend Washington’s efforts to disrupt the financial and logistical networks it says support military operations in eastern Congo.
Congo welcomes US sanctions
The Congolese government welcomed the decision, saying the sanctions sent a message that Rwanda should be held accountable for its actions in the conflict.
Congo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Rwanda to honour its commitments under the Washington Accords, respect the United Nations Charter and withdraw its troops from Congolese territory.
The ministry also said Rwanda should withdraw what it described as tens of thousands of troops from the DRC.
The sanctions come as fighting continues in eastern Congo, where civilians have faced the consequences of clashes and fires in areas controlled by the Rwanda-backed rebels.
Rwanda says peace deal obligations remain unmet
Rwanda rejected the accusations of backing the rebels and said the peace agreement must be implemented by all parties.
Government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said the Washington Accords included commitments to neutralise the FDLR that had yet to be fulfilled.
She said Rwanda remained prepared to implement the agreement, provided the DRC also met its obligations and the mediator held all parties accountable.
The conflicting positions underscore the difficulties facing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. Although the two countries signed a peace agreement in 2025, the fighting has continued, with little change on the ground despite US mediation.
Washington’s latest sanctions add financial pressure on Rwanda’s defence establishment and a financial institution accused of supporting its security operations. Whether the measures will lead to changes in military activity or renewed progress in peace negotiations remains uncertain.
