DRC: Washington sanctions Rwanda’s Defense Ministry and a financial institution over support for M23

The United States announced sanctions against Rwanda’s Defense Ministry and Zigama Credit and Savings Society, accusing them of providing military and financial support to the M23 and the Congo River Alliance (AFC). The U.S. Treasury says thousands of Rwandan soldiers operate alongside M23 in North and South Kivu, while Zigama allegedly facilitated arms purchases and transactions worth tens of millions of dollars. Washington also accuses M23 of extrajudicial killings, illegal detention, torture, and forced labor in areas under its control. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on Rwanda to stop supporting M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC.