Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda The United States has imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and four of its top commanders, accusing them of providing direct operational support to the March 23 Movement (M23) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The move comes less than three months after the signing of the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, a US-backed agreement aimed at reducing tensions and fostering cooperation in the Great Lakes region. Announcing the measures in Washington, US officials said the sanctions were triggered by M23’s seizure of Uvira shortly after the December 4, 2025 signing of the accords — an action described as a direct breach of the peace deal. According to Thomas Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson, Rwanda’s con...