WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Rwandan Minister James Kabarebe and senior militant Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston for their roles in supporting the March 23 Movement (M23) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The sanctions, announced Tuesday, aim to hold key figures accountable for their involvement in destabilizing the region.
Kabarebe, Rwanda’s Minister of State for Regional Integration, has been a pivotal figure in Rwanda’s support for M23, a U.S.- and UN-designated armed group according to the US government. The movement has expanded its control in eastern DRC, committing widespread human rights abuses. Kabarebe is accused of playing a crucial role in orchestrating the export of critical minerals from the DRC through Rwanda.
“Today’s action underscores our intent to hold accountable key officials and leaders like Kabarebe and Kanyuka, who are enabling the RDF and M23’s destabilizing activities in the eastern DRC,” said Bradley T. Smith, Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. “The United States remains committed to ensuring a peaceful resolution to this conflict.”
The sanctions come amid growing tensions in the DRC, where M23 and the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) recently captured Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu, after fierce fighting that killed thousands of civilians. M23 has continued its advances, taking control of critical infrastructure including Bukavu, South Kivu’s capital, and the Kavumu Airport.
M23, which emerged in 2012 and was defeated in 2013, resurged in 2021 with backing from RDF. The group is accused of committing serious human rights abuses, including killings, sexual violence, and forced displacement. Their actions have displaced tens of thousands of civilians and seized valuable mineral-rich areas in the DRC.
In addition to Kabarebe, the Treasury also sanctioned Kanyuka, an M23 spokesperson and senior member of the Congo River Alliance, a coalition of rebel groups seeking to overthrow the DRC government. Kanyuka, who owns companies in the U.K. and France, is implicated in the group’s media and diplomatic outreach, further fueling the conflict.
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) blocked the assets of the designated individuals and their companies. U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions involving them, and violations of the sanctions could lead to civil or criminal penalties.
The sanctions aim to disrupt the financial networks supporting the armed groups destabilizing the region, and OFAC emphasized that the ultimate goal is to prompt a positive change in behavior.
