DR Congo's president calls for sanctions against Rwanda for supporting M23 rebels

KIGALI, Rwanda

The president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) on Wednesday called on the international community to impose targeted sanctions on Rwanda for allegedly supporting M23 rebel group.

In his address to the 79th UN General Assembly in New York, Felix Tshisekedi accused Rwanda of "destabilizing" eastern Congo, where M23 rebels are fighting government forces.

“The situation in eastern DR Congo is of particular concern. The resurgence of the M23 terrorist group has caused an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with nearly 7 million people internally displaced,” he said.

There was no immediate reaction from Rwanda.

DR Congo and Western countries accuse Rwanda of backing the M23, one of the rebel groups fighting in eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since its resurgence in 2021, a claim Kigali consistently denies.

Kigali, in turn, accuses Kinshasa of harboring Rwandan rebels – the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), whose goal is to overthrow the Rwandan government.

A recent cease-fire brokered by Angolan President Joao Lourenco has not been fully implemented, with fighting reported between government troops and M23 rebels in North Kivu province.

Last month, the Congolese military accused M23 rebels of violating the cease-fire after fighting erupted.

DR Congo has been plagued by violence orchestrated by different armed groups for nearly three decades.

More than 900,000 people were recently displaced in the three eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri during the first four months of this year, according to the UN.