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The US Department of the Treasury announced sanctions on Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence and Zigama Credit and Savings Society on October 28 2026 for their roles in supporting the M23 armed group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement that the measures make good on President Donald Trump’s promise to hold Rwanda accountable for commitments under the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity signed by the leaders of Rwanda and Congo in December 2025. Bessent added that Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC a call that was reinforced in a related State Department announcement highlighting the destabilizing activities.
According to the Treasury Department the Rwandan Ministry of Defence directed the Rwanda Defence Force which was already sanctioned by the US in March 2026 to deploy thousands of troops across North and South Kivu provinces. These forces have conducted operations alongside M23 providing the rebels with military equipment supplies logistical support and training. The department further stated that Rwandan troops introduced surface-to-air missiles and jamming equipment that endanger civilian aviation in the area.
The sanctions also target Zigama Credit and Savings Society which the Treasury Department described as a financial institution serving Rwanda’s security services that facilitated tens of millions of dollars in transactions benefiting M23 and its political wing the Congo River Alliance. A Treasury assessment found that the bank helped pay for military equipment purchased from China and enabled the transport of gold extracted from rebel-controlled mining sites in South Kivu to Kigali. Such actions the department said have sustained the rebellion despite the peace agreement.
M23 forces seized the cities of Goma and Bukavu in early 2025 according to BBC News and have taken control of mineral-rich territories including gold mines in South Kivu and the coltan-producing area of Rubaya in North Kivu. The US Treasury said the group’s advances have contributed to human rights abuses forced labor and a severe humanitarian crisis with mass displacement in eastern DRC. An Associated Press report described the region as plagued by fighting involving about 100 armed groups for decades creating one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies.
The latest sanctions represent the fourth round of US measures against Rwandan entities in 2026 over the Congo conflict a Business Insider Africa analysis showed. They follow actions in March that targeted the Rwanda Defence Force and senior commanders as well as penalties in June on a gold refinery and minerals network. The Washington Accords had aimed to end the fighting and open up mineral reserves to US interests but clashes have continued Reuters reported.
The Rwandan government has repeatedly denied backing the M23 rebels according to multiple news outlets covering the story. In its statement the Treasury Department emphasised that the ministry’s actions violate the obligations undertaken in the US-brokered peace deal. Officials in Washington have indicated that additional steps could follow if Rwanda does not comply with the demands to withdraw its forces.
The sanctions freeze any assets the designated entities hold in the United States and prohibit American persons and companies from engaging in transactions with them unless specifically authorized. A US State Department release underscored that the designations were made under Executive Order 13413 as amended for providing support to the rebels and the Rwandan military. The move comes one week after US-led talks in Germany brought together military planners from both Congo and Rwanda a Business Insider Africa article indicated.
