WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. government has strongly criticized the Rwandan government for its support of the M23 armed group’s violent attacks in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
In a press release titled “Escalation of Hostilities in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,” Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, condemned the M23 armed group’s actions and emphasized that both the U.S. and the U.N. have imposed sanctions on the group for various violations.
The U.S. government called for Rwanda to withdraw all Rwanda Defense Force personnel from the DRC and dismantle its surface-to-air missile systems, which pose a threat to civilians, UN peacekeepers, and humanitarian actors in the region. Additionally, the U.S. urged the M23 armed group to cease hostilities and retreat from its current positions surrounding Sake and Goma.
Miller also stressed the importance of respecting each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the conflict, and called on all parties to be held accountable for human rights violations in the region. The U.S. government also urged the DRC government to discontinue cooperation with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, an armed group that endangers civilian populations.
The ongoing conflict in the eastern DRC involves the rebel group known as the March 23 (M23) movement, allegedly supported by the Rwandan government. The group is conducting attacks on civilians and engaging in mortar exchanges with the DRC army, prompting a mass exodus of civilians fleeing for safety. This conflict has been ongoing for over three decades, with over 100 rebel factions involved.
The M23 insurgency claims to defend the rights of the Congolese Tutsi community against Rwandan Hutu killers who fled after the genocide, but the abundant mineral resources in the border region serve as a significant incentive. Social media platforms have been inundated with images depicting the severity of the hostilities in eastern DRC, highlighting the urgency of the situation.