Rwanda condemns U.S. sanctions, accuses DRC of ceasefire violations

The Government of Rwanda has strongly condemned fresh sanctions imposed by the United States, describing them as unjust, one-sided, and a distortion of the realities surrounding the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The sanctions, announced by the U.S. Treasury, target the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and several of its senior officials over alleged support to the March 23 Movement (M23), an armed group operating in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Kigali dismissed the measures as “misrepresenting the reality and distorting the facts” of the ongoing conflict.

Rwanda argued that the U.S. decision unfairly singles out one party to the peace process while ignoring what it termed repeated violations by Kinshasa.

“Consistent and indiscriminate drone attacks and ground offensives constitute clear violations of ceasefire agreements by the DRC and continue to cost many lives,” the statement said.

Kigali maintained that protecting its national security remains paramount, adding that safeguarding the country is “a badge of honour” carried proudly by the RDF.

The U.S. has previously accused Rwanda of backing M23 rebels — a claim Kigali has repeatedly denied or reframed as defensive security action against hostile forces operating near its border.

Rwanda further accused the Congolese government of collaborating with armed groups hostile to Kigali.

According to the statement, the coalition aligned with the Congolese armed forces — the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) — includes foreign mercenaries, state-sponsored ethnic militias known as the Wazalendo, and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which Rwanda describes as a genocidal militia.

The FDLR is composed in part of remnants linked to perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Kigali has long argued that the presence of the group in eastern Congo poses an existential security threat.

Rwanda said the DRC had committed under the Washington Accords to an “irreversible and verifiable” end to state support for the FDLR and associated militias but had failed to take meaningful steps to fulfill that obligation.

Kigali reiterated that it remains committed to disengagement of its forces — provided that Kinshasa implements its own commitments under the agreement.

“Rwanda is fully committed to disengagement of its forces in tandem with the DRC implementing their obligations,” the statement said.

Rwanda welcomed the resumption of the implementation process, including the reactivation of the Joint Oversight Committee under the peace framework.

However, it called for what it described as an “even-handed approach” from international partners involved in the mediation efforts.

Kigali also reaffirmed its commitment to all aspects of the Washington Accords, including the Regional Economic Integration Framework aimed at stabilizing and economically integrating the Great Lakes region.

The conflict in eastern Congo has displaced millions and heightened diplomatic tensions across the region. International actors, including the United States and the United Nations, have pushed for de-escalation amid fears of a broader regional confrontation.

While Washington maintains that accountability measures are necessary to deter further destabilization, Kigali insists that any sustainable peace must address what it calls the root cause — the continued presence and support of hostile armed groups operating in eastern Congo.

The latest exchange underscores the fragile state of the peace process and the delicate diplomatic balancing act facing regional and international mediators.