U.S. Senators Slam Rwanda-Backed M23, Demand Congo Peace Action

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a significant development for Congolese diplomacy, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Cory Booker, joined by fellow Democrats, have issued a scathing letter criticizing the U.S. government's response to the ongoing DRC–Rwanda crisis and the violent campaign of the M23 rebel group, which they say is backed and armed by the Rwandan regime.

Their bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demands tougher U.S. diplomacy and a full reassessment of the Washington Accord, signed in June 2025 under the Trump administration. Despite the pomp of the Oval Office ceremony, the senators warn that the agreement has “failed to stop the bloodshed” in Congo’s eastern provinces.

“A Glorious Triumph?” Not for Congolese Civilians

The senators take direct aim at the Trump administration’s celebratory framing of the peace deal:

“Although the Trump Administration deserves credit for attempting to engage constructively on this crisis, we are concerned by severe flaws in the structure of the peace process,” they wrote.

They highlight that fighting resumed almost immediately after the accord was signed. Since June, Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have seized new territory, displaced civilians, and entrenched control across North and South Kivu, with little resistance from international partners.

War Crimes and Continued Atrocities

The letter cites growing evidence of human rights abuses and war crimes committed by M23, echoing UN and NGO reports:

“On August 20th, Human Rights Watch and the UN human rights office reported that the M23 killed at least 140 people, and possibly over 300 civilians during counter-FDLR operations in Rutshuru in July 2025.”

The senators also condemned the deteriorating humanitarian situation, noting that: