WASHINGTON – The U.S. government strongly condemns the Rwandan government’s support for the M23 armed group, which is currently carrying out violent attacks in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The U.S. Department of State spokesperson, Matthew Miller, made this announcement through a press release titled “Escalation of Hostilities in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,” available on the Department’s website. The statement emphasized that the M23 armed group, supported by the Rwandan government, is subject to sanctions imposed by both the U.S. and the U.N. for various violations.
The announcement also highlighted that the M23 armed group had launched an incursion into the town of Sake in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, resulting in human rights abuses such as displacement and attacks. It called for Rwanda to withdraw all Rwanda Defense Force personnel from the DRC and dismantle its surface-to-air missile systems. The U.S. government also called on the M23 armed group to immediately cease hostilities and retreat from its current positions surrounding Sake and Goma.
Moreover, the U.S. government urged the DRC government to continue supporting confidence-building measures by discontinuing cooperation with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group labeled as a “negative force” by regional entities and the DRC government, because the FDLR’s activities endanger civilian populations. The government also emphasized the importance of holding all individuals accountable for human rights violations in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo conflict.
Over the span of three decades, the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been marred by persistent violent conflicts, particularly along its border with Rwanda, involving over 100 rebel factions. Presently, the border towns of Sake and Goma are engulfed in an ongoing conflict, with the rebel group known as the March 23 (M23) movement, allegedly supported by the Rwandan government, conducting attacks on civilians and engaging in mortar exchanges with the DRC army. The insurgency purports to defend the rights of the Congolese Tutsi community against Rwandan Hutu killers who fled after the genocide, while also being motivated by the abundant mineral resources in the border region.
The severity of the hostilities in eastern DRC has prompted a mass exodus of civilians fleeing for safety, as images of the conflict inundate social media platforms. The U.S. government’s strong disapproval of Rwanda’s support for the M23 armed group reflects the escalating tension and violence in the region, as well as the complex geopolitical and historical factors contributing to the conflict.