The U.S. has called on Rwanda to withdraw its forces from eastern DRC and stop supporting the M23 rebel group, citing its role in regional instability and human rights abuses. The statement intensifies diplomatic pressure on Rwanda and urges renewed peace talks, reflecting growing international frustration with the ongoing conflict.

The United States has strongly called for Rwanda to withdraw its forces from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to immediately halt all support for the M23 rebel group, emphasizing its growing concern over the crisis in the region. In a digital press briefing, U.S. Senior Advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Corina Sanders, stressed that Rwanda’s military presence in eastern DRC is “unacceptable” and exacerbates instability. Sanders stated, “The presence of Rwandan Defense Forces on Congolese territory is not helping the situation. It must end,” adding that “The M23 would not be the military force it is today without external support, particularly from Rwanda.”

This rebuke aligns with several United Nations reports that have highlighted Rwanda’s military backing of the M23, an armed group accused of significant human rights abuses and responsible for displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians in eastern DRC. The U.S. officials emphasized that while both the Congolese army (FARDC) and the M23 have been involved in abuses, the scope and systematic nature of the atrocities committed by the M23 demand urgent international condemnation and action.

Boulos urged all parties to return to the peace processes in Luanda and Nairobi, underscoring that any path to stability in the Great Lakes region must respect the territorial integrity of Congo. This statement marks one of the most direct criticisms the U.S. has leveled at Rwanda in recent years, putting additional diplomatic pressure on President Paul Kagame’s government. It also reflects increasing frustration among international partners with the prolonged conflict in eastern DRC, which has left millions displaced and continues to escalate despite repeated ceasefire efforts.