U.S. sanctions Kagame's top military bosses, what this means

The United States has imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and four of its senior commanders, accusing them of supporting a rebel group blamed for violence and mass displacement in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury said its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had designated the RDF and top military officials for backing the March 23 Movement, commonly known as M23. 

The rebel group is already under U.S. and United Nations sanctions.

According to Washington, the RDF has been actively supporting, training, and fighting alongside M23 as it seized territory in eastern Congo, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu, as well as strategic mining areas. 

U.S. officials said M23’s recent advances would not have been possible without direct military support from Rwanda’s armed forces.

“President Trump is the Peace President, and Treasury will use all tools at its disposal to ensure that the parties to the Washington Accords uphold their obligations,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. 

He called for the “immediate withdrawal” of RDF troops, weapons and equipment from Congolese territory.

The sanctions come just weeks after President Donald Trump hosted Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame at the White House for the signing of the Joint Declaration on the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity.

Despite the accord, M23 fighters captured the strategic border city of Uvira, near Burundi, triggering civilian deaths and forcing thousands to flee. 

Although the group later withdrew, U.S. officials warned that its continued presence near the Burundi border, coupled with alleged RDF backing, risks widening the conflict into a broader regional war.

In a joint statement, the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes condemned the military operations by both M23 and the RDF and urged Rwanda to pull its forces out of eastern Congo.

Those sanctioned alongside the RDF include:

• Vincent Nyakarundi, the RDF’s Army Chief of Staff, described by the U.S. as a senior commander of Rwanda’s land forces involved in operations supporting M23.

• Major General Ruki Karusisi, commander of the RDF’s 5th Infantry Division and former Special Operations Force commander.

• Mubarakh Muganga, the RDF’s Chief of Defence Staff, who previously served as Army Chief of Staff and is accused of playing a key role in planning and commanding operations in eastern Congo.

• Stanislas Gashugi, appointed Special Operations Force commander in March 2025.

The U.S. Treasury said the RDF had deployed thousands of troops across eastern Congo and introduced advanced military equipment, including drones, air defence systems and GPS jamming technology. 

It also accused the force of training M23 fighters and supporting recruitment efforts, including among refugees.

Washington further alleged that, with RDF support, M23 has carried out extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and torture. 

In January 2025, the RDF is said to have launched attacks against Congolese armed forces, regional peacekeepers and defensive positions of the UN stabilisation mission in the DRC.

In return for its support, U.S. officials claim Rwanda has gained access to mineral-rich areas in eastern Congo that help finance M23’s rebellion.

The designations were made under Executive Order 13413, as amended, which targets those threatening the peace, security or stability of the DRC.

As a result, all property and interests in property of the RDF and the named officials that are in the United States or under the control of U.S. persons are blocked. 

U.S. individuals and entities are generally prohibited from conducting transactions with them unless authorised by OFAC.

Entities owned 50 percent or more by the sanctioned individuals are also subject to blocking measures. 

Violations can result in civil or criminal penalties, and non-U.S. persons may face consequences if they cause U.S. persons to breach sanctions or attempt to evade restrictions.

The move marks a significant escalation in U.S. pressure on Rwanda amid renewed instability in eastern Congo, raising fresh questions about the future of the Washington peace framework and the risk of a wider regional conflict in the Great Lakes region.