"The US Department of the Treasury said on Monday that the rebels' gains would not have been possible without Rwandan backing. The US State Department separately added that M23 continued to capture territory even late last year in clear violation of a US-mediated agreement."
"M23, a US- and UN-sanctioned entity, is responsible for horrific human rights abuses, including summary executions and violence against civilians, including women and children, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement. The continued backing from the RDF and its senior leadership has enabled M23 to capture DRC sovereign territory and continue these grave abuses."
"The Treasury Department said those included in Monday's sanctions are Vincent Nyakarundi, the Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) army chief of staff; Ruki Karusisi, a major-general; Mubarakh Muganga, chief of defence staff; and Stanislas Gashugi, special operations force commander. The US said they were critical to M23's gains."
The United States sanctioned Rwanda's military and four senior officials, including the army chief of staff and special operations commander, for providing direct operational support to the M23 rebel group in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. M23 and its affiliated Congo River Alliance have captured significant territory, including provincial capitals in North and South Kivu. Rwanda has consistently denied backing the rebels, despite allegations from the DRC, United Nations, and Western powers. The Treasury Department stated M23's territorial gains would be impossible without Rwandan support. M23 faces accusations of severe human rights violations, including summary executions and violence against civilians. The sanctions follow a December peace agreement brokered by US President Trump between Rwanda and the DRC, which M23 violated by capturing the city of Uvira shortly after.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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