Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Olivier Nduhungirehe said AFC/M23 had completed its withdrawal from Uvira weeks before the United States imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force.
Writing on X, Nduhungirehe disputed remarks made by US Senior Adviser for Africa Massad Boulos during an interview with France 24.
Boulos linked the sanctions to AFC/M23’s capture of Uvira shortly after Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo reaffirmed the Washington Accords.
“Sanctions on Rwanda were a direct result of the invasion of Uvira, just after the Washington deal. They were given a chance to withdraw, we were extremely patient but unfortunately had to sanction,” Boulos said.
Nduhungirehe responded that AFC/M23, which he described as a Congolese movement, began leaving Uvira on December 16, 2025, and completed its withdrawal on January 17, 2026.
He said the Congolese army later returned to the city alongside Burundian forces, the FDLR and Wazalendo armed groups.
The United States sanctioned the RDF and four senior officers on March 2, more than six weeks after the withdrawal date cited by Nduhungirehe.
“It’s therefore extremely difficult to justify the US sanctions against Rwanda by the refusal of the AFC/M23 to withdraw from Uvira,” he said.
The four officers were RDF Chief of Defence Staff Gen Mubarakh Muganga, Army Chief of Staff Maj Gen Vincent Nyakarundi, Maj Gen Ruki Karusisi and Brig Gen Stanislas Gashugi.
The US Treasury’s sanctions notice acknowledged that AFC/M23 had left Uvira. It did not say the measures resulted from the movement’s refusal to withdraw.
Instead, Washington accused the RDF of continuing to support, train and fight alongside the M23 in eastern DRC.
It also cited M23’s presence near the Burundian border and alleged that RDF assistance had enabled the movement to capture territory, including Goma and Bukavu.
Rwanda has repeatedly denied supporting AFC/M23 and described the sanctions as one-sided.
Kigali said the measures overlooked the DRC’s obligation to neutralise the FDLR and associated armed groups under the Washington Accords.
“Rwanda is fully committed to disengagement of its forces in tandem with the DRC implementing their obligations,” the government said in its response to the sanctions.
During the same France 24 interview, Boulos said Washington had received encouraging indications concerning Rwanda’s disengagement from the DRC and that the parties should be given an opportunity to fulfil their commitments.
He also said the sanctions could be reversed, but the United States had not announced any decision to lift them.
Elie GATETE
RADIOTV10