The United States announced that sanctions would be imposed on Rwanda’s government ministers and senior members of armed groups due to alleged participation in the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group recently occupied two major cities in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, exacerbating the already serious humanitarian crisis and driving increasing speculation about Felix Tshisekedi The president carried out a potential coup in Kinshasa’s government.
State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce said: “This aggression undermines the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She added: “There is the possibility that such violence can escalate into a wider regional conflict.” ”
The U.S. Treasury Department imposed financial sanctions on Rwanda’s Secretary of State for Regional Integration James Kabarebe, and accused him of orchestrating Rwanda’s M23 support. Since 2013, M23 has been subject to U.S. sanctions for alleged human rights violations, including targeting children, killing and destroying civilians, and sexual violence. According to the Ministry of Finance, Kabaribe is also responsible for managing the financial operations of funding M23, especially through the extraction and export of minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In addition to Kabarebe, sanctions have been imposed on Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston, a senior member and spokesman for the M23 and the Congo River Alliance, as well as two companies he controlled in the UK and France.
Rwanda has been denied allegations from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations and Western powers that alleged weapons and forces support the M23. The Rwandan government believes it is just defending itself from the defense of Hutu militia, which claimed it was fighting with the Congolese army. Rwanda’s government spokesman Yolande Makolo criticized the sanctions, calling them “unreasonable” and asserted that they undermined their efforts for political resolutions. “If sanctions can resolve the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, we will maintain peace in the region,” Makro said in a text to Reuters.
By contrast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo government welcomes U.S. sanctions and calls for other measures. “This marks the beginning of a series of sanctions that we hope to be stronger from the UN Security Council, the EU and other partners to force Rwanda to evacuate its forces and stop its criminal activities on our land,” said government spokesman Patrick Muya. Patrick Muyaya said in a statement on social media.
