US sanctions Rwanda for backing M23 rebels amid coltan mining dispute in eastern DRC

On March 2, the U.S. State Department announced sanctions targeting Rwanda's Defence Forces and four senior officers for providing direct operational support to the M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The sanctions were issued in response to violations of the 2025 Washington Accords, after M23 forces backed by Rwanda seized the town of Uvira. State Department spokesperson Thomas Tommy Pigott said the United States "remains firmly committed to peace and stability in the Great Lakes region" and will use all means to enforce the accords.

Separately, a BBC report cited claims that Kigali is demanding a share of revenues from the Rubaya coltan mine—accounting for about 15% of global supply—as a condition for ending the conflict. Analysts argue the resource deal could finance the war, turning the dispute into a war of predation over strategic minerals. The situation highlights the intertwining of regional security, foreign sanctions, and competition for mineral resources.