The United States has issued a sharp rebuke to Rwanda, accusing it of undermining a recent peace agreement by supporting a major rebel offensive in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. The warning comes as rebel forces have seized a strategic city, escalating violence that has resulted in significant civilian casualties and displacement.
In a statement to the United Nations Security Council, a senior U.S. diplomat expressed deep concern over the renewed fighting led by the M23 rebel group. The official warned that actions by “spoilers” threatening regional stability would face consequences, and called on Rwanda to cease its support for armed factions and respect Congo’s territorial sovereignty.
This surge in hostilities directly contravenes a U.S.-brokered peace deal signed just last week by the leaders of Congo and Rwanda. That agreement specifically required Rwanda to end backing for groups like M23. Despite a separate ceasefire between the rebels and the Congolese government earlier this year, fighting has intensified.
The conflict reached a critical point with M23’s capture of Uvira, a key port city on Lake Tanganyika. This loss strips the Congolese government of its last major stronghold in South Kivu province and allows the rebels to solidify control over a vast swath of eastern Congo. The advance has pushed the conflict to the border of Burundi, raising alarms about a potential wider regional crisis. Reports indicate artillery fire has already landed on Burundian soil, and tens of thousands of civilians have fled across the border.
Eastern Congo, a region plagued by decades of instability, is home to over a hundred armed groups competing for control of its vast mineral wealth. The M23, one of the most prominent, has seen its forces grow significantly in recent years. The United Nations, the U.S., and Congo all assert that this expansion is directly fueled by Rwandan military support, including the provision of troops, training, and logistics.
In response to the offensive, Congolese officials have called for international sanctions against Rwandan leadership, a ban on its mineral exports, and a prohibition on its contributions to U.N. peacekeeping missions. The ongoing violence exacerbates one of the world’s most severe humanitarian disasters, with millions displaced within the country.
The instability in the mineral-rich region also carries significant economic stakes for global powers, given its reserves of rare earth elements critical for modern technology and defense industries.