US Imposes Sanctions on Officials Over Violence in DR Congo

The United States has imposed sanctions on Rwandan Minister of Regional Integration, James Kabarebe, for his alleged role in fueling conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have intensified their military offensives, capturing two major cities.

In addition to Kabarebe, the US Treasury Department also sanctioned Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston, the spokesperson for the M23 rebel group, as well as two companies linked to him, registered in the UK and France.

The March 23 Movement (M23) is the most powerful of over 100 armed groups vying for control of eastern Congo’s vast mineral wealth, estimated to be worth trillions of dollars.

The group’s recent rapid territorial expansion has heightened regional tensions. In a swift three-week offensive, M23 seized Goma, the largest city in eastern DRC, and on Sunday, captured Bukavu, the country’s second-largest city.

The US State Department has urged Rwandan leaders to cease support for M23 and withdraw all Rwandan troops from Congolese territory.

According to United Nations experts, Rwanda has deployed approximately 4,000 troops inside the DRC, further escalating the crisis.

In an official statement, State Department spokesperson Tami Bruce emphasized that the US is also calling on both the Congolese and Rwandan governments to hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations in the ongoing conflict.

With escalating violence, territorial gains by M23 rebels, and growing international pressure on Rwanda, the conflict in eastern Congo remains a flashpoint for regional instability.