Washington sanciona Ministério da Defesa de Ruanda por suposto apoio ao M23

The United States has imposed sanctions on Rwanda's Ministry of Defense, accusing the country of supporting the M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The move increases pressure on Kigali to withdraw its troops from the region and cease its support for the rebels, according to the BBC.

The US decision represents a new chapter in diplomatic tensions between Washington and Kigali, which denies direct involvement with the armed group. The M23 — March 23 Movement — is made up of former Congolese soldiers of Tutsi ethnicity and has been active for over a decade in eastern DRC, a region rich in minerals and marked by decades of armed conflict.

In recent months, clashes between the M23 and Congolese armed forces have intensified, causing mass displacement of civilians and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region. Reports from international organizations and UN experts repeatedly point to Rwanda's involvement in the conflict, which Kigali rejects.

US sanctions against the Rwandan Ministry of Defense signal a hardening of the Western position and could pave the way for similar measures by other countries. Analysts believe that economic and diplomatic pressure on Rwanda is likely to increase as long as there are no concrete signs of military retreat in the region.