US imposes sanctions on Rwanda military over east Congo fightingThe U.S. on Monday imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force and top military officials over their role in ongoing fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and called for their immediate withdrawal from the mineral-rich region. But the U.S. Treasury Department said on Monday that the rebels’ gains would have been impossible without Rwandan backing. Congo’s government said it welcomed the sanctions, describing them as “a strong signal in support of respect” for its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Just days after that ceremony, however, AFC/M23 rebels entered the eastern Congo city of Uvira, near the Burundian border, in the war’s biggest escalation for months. Over the weekend Congolese officials accused AFC/M23 of launching a drone attack on the airport in the strategic city of Kisangani, hundreds of kilometres from any active front lines.

Source: Daily Nation March 03, 2026 08:20 UTC