The Congolese army has been combating the M23 insurgency for over two years, alongside engaging in conflicts with other militias in its eastern border regions.

On Thursday, the United States will impose sanctions on a coalition of armed groups accused of attempting to overthrow the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and exacerbating conflict, according to a statement obtained by Reuters.

The sanctions, initially reported by Reuters, are directed at the Congo River Alliance (AFC), which the U.S. Treasury Department described in a statement as a political-military coalition established in December. The statement identified the M23 movement as the primary member of the alliance, noting that M23 is already subject to U.S. sanctions.

The Congolese army has been engaged in combat with the M23 insurgency for over two years, in addition to fighting other militias in its eastern border regions.

The DRC, the United Nations, and Western nations have repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting M23 with troops and weapons, a claim Rwanda denies.

In response, Rwanda accuses the DRC of financing and fighting alongside Hutu militants, specifically the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which has carried out attacks against Tutsis in both countries.

The ongoing conflict in North Kivu province has displaced more than 1.7 million people, pushing the total number of displaced Congolese due to various conflicts to a record 7.2 million, according to U.N. estimates.

Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson stated, "Today’s action reinforces our commitment to hold accountable those who seek to perpetuate instability, violence, and harm to civilians to achieve their political goals."

He added, "We condemn AFC and its affiliates, including M23, for fueling this deadly conflict and worsening the humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC."

In addition to targeting the AFC, the U.S. also imposed sanctions on Corneille Nangaa, the former head of Congo's election commission, who was originally sanctioned in 2019 for undermining elections in the country. The Treasury Department announced that Nangaa is being sanctioned again for his role as a leader of the Congo River Alliance, which he reportedly co-founded with M23 leaders.

Sanctions were also imposed on M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa, which includes freezing any U.S. assets held by the individuals and generally prohibits Americans from engaging with them.

Additionally, Twirwaneho, an armed group in South Kivu province that is part of the alliance and collaborates with M23, was targeted, along with a commander and deputy military leader of the group.