An RDF parade
The Government of Rwanda on Monday sharply criticized new sanctions imposed by the United States, calling them “unjust” and “one-sided,” and accusing Washington of distorting the realities of the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
In a statement issued in Kigali, government said the sanctions unfairly singled out Rwanda while overlooking what they described as repeated violations by Congolese forces and their allies.
The measures, announced by the United States earlier in the day, come amid renewed tensions and sporadic fighting across eastern Congo, a region long plagued by armed groups and regional rivalries.
“The sanctions issued today by the United States unjustly targeting only one party to the peace process misrepresent the reality and distort the facts of the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,” the statement said.
Rwanda accused the Congolese army FARDC of carrying out drone strikes and ground offensives in violation of cease-fire agreements.
The statement says such actions had “continued to cost many lives” and constituted clear breaches of commitments made under regional peace arrangements.
Kigali reiterated that national security remains its overriding concern. “Protecting our country is a badge of honour which the Rwanda Defence Force carries very proudly,” the statement read, referring to the Rwanda Defence Force.
The conflict in eastern Congo has drawn in a complex web of actors, including local militias, foreign fighters and neighboring states.
Rwanda says the “DRC coalition” that includes foreign mercenaries, the so-called Wazalendo militias — community-based armed groups that have mobilized to support the Congolese army — and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR)
The FDLR, an armed group founded by remnants of those responsible for the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, has long been a central focus of Rwanda’s security concerns.
Rwanda has repeatedly accused Congolese authorities of tolerating or collaborating with the group, a charge Kinshasa has denied.
In Monday’s statement, Rwanda said that under Washington Accords, Congolese authorities had committed to an “irreversible and verifiable end” to state support for the FDLR and associated militias.
Instead no meaningful steps had been taken to fulfill that obligation.
Rwanda, for its part, said it remained committed to disengaging its forces “in tandem with the DRC implementing their obligations,” suggesting that any drawdown would be conditional on reciprocal action.
The statement also welcomed the resumption of the peace implementation process, including the Joint Oversight Committee, and called for what it termed an “even-handed approach from all partners.”
It emphasized Rwanda’s commitment to broader provisions of the Washington Accords, including a Regional Economic Integration Framework aimed at fostering cross-border cooperation.
