The United States sanctioned Rwanda's defense ministry over alleged support for M23 rebels

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The United States imposed sanctions on Rwanda's defense ministry over allegations that it backed M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the Treasury Department said Wednesday. The department said the ministry deployed thousands of troops across North and South Kivu provinces, where they operate alongside M23 and provide the group with military equipment, supplies, logistical support and training. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Rwanda must stop supporting M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern Congo. The sanctions increase pressure on Kigali to do so, the BBC reported. DR Congo's foreign ministry welcomed the measures in a statement to Reuters and urged Rwanda to honor its commitments under the Washington Accords and withdraw its troops from Congolese territory. On Oct. 24, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi had called for greater international pressure on Rwanda.