DRC opposition figures welcome US sanctions on Rwanda army

Congolese political figures Néné Nkulu Ilunga and Modeste Bahati Lukwebo have welcomed new U.S. sanctions targeting Rwanda’s military and four senior officers, and called for stronger international pressure on Kigali and the AFC/M23 rebellion as fighting persists in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

In a statement published on March 4, Nkulu who leads the Alliance des forces pour le bien-être des Congolais (AFBC) said the measures announced by the U.S. Treasury represent a significant step toward restoring peace in eastern DRC, and urged the international community to escalate sanctions and pressure to force Rwanda and its “proxies” to leave occupied territories “without delay,” citing international law and Congolese sovereignty.

The sanctions were announced on March 2 by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In its statement, Treasury said it had sanctioned the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and four senior officials, saying the RDF is “supporting, training, and fighting alongside” the M23, and calling for the immediate withdrawal of RDF troops, weapons and equipment from Congolese territory.

Later on March 4, Bahati second vice-president of the Senate and leader of the AFDC-A also backed the U.S. action and emphasized the need to enforce UN Security Council Resolution 2773, which, according to the UN, calls on the Rwanda Defence Force to cease support to M23 and withdraw from the DRC.

Bahati also warned against a ceasefire that would preserve the status quo in North and South Kivu, arguing that freezing forces in place while territory remains under AFC/M23 control would deepen the risk of partition-like outcomes, as he framed it.

Both statements come as diplomatic efforts referenced by Congolese officials including the Washington and Doha tracks continue amid accusations between Kinshasa and Kigali over compliance with commitments and amid persistent insecurity on the ground.