The United States has accused Rwanda of fuelling renewed instability and war in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, warning that continued advances by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group risk undermining a fragile peace effort brokered by US President Donald Trump.
In an address to the United Nations Security Council on Friday, US Ambassador Mike Waltz said Rwanda’s actions were pushing the region toward deeper conflict and vowed that Washington would act against those obstructing peace. He stressed that the United States would deploy “the tools at our disposal to hold to account spoilers to peace.”
The latest territorial gains by M23 have raised alarm across the Great Lakes region, bringing the fighting close to Burundi’s border and heightening fears of a broader regional escalation. Since January, the violence in eastern Congo has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands, worsening an already dire humanitarian situation.
Burundi issued a stern warning to the Security Council, with its UN Ambassador Zephyrin Maniratanga cautioning that continued attacks could trigger a direct confrontation between Bujumbura and Kigali. He said Burundi’s restraint was nearing its limit amid rising cross-border tensions.
Rwanda rejected the accusations, with its UN Ambassador Martin Ngoga denying any aggression against Burundi and insisting that Kigali remained committed to the Washington-brokered peace agreement. Ngoga accused the Congolese government of violating the ceasefire and dismissed claims of Rwandan involvement in the conflict.
Congo’s Foreign Minister, Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, urged the Security Council to take decisive action, warning that continued inaction would embolden impunity. She said the crisis had reached a critical point where the international community must choose between enforcing global norms or allowing them to be openly defied.
The renewed fighting comes just days after Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame met with Trump in Washington, where both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a US-mediated peace deal aimed at ending years of conflict in eastern Congo.
Waltz said Washington was engaging all parties to prevent further escalation, calling on Rwanda to respect Congo’s sovereignty and its right to seek military assistance from Burundi. He also urged restraint in rhetoric, particularly language that could inflame ethnic tensions.
The United States said it was “profoundly concerned and incredibly disappointed” by the renewed violence, accusing Rwanda of maintaining strategic control over M23 and its political wing, the Congo River Alliance, since the group’s resurgence in 2021. Waltz alleged that Rwandan forces had provided logistical, military and training support to M23, including direct combat involvement by thousands of troops.
Rwanda has consistently denied backing the rebels, blaming Congolese and Burundian forces for the fighting. While M23 is not part of the Washington-led peace talks, it is involved in separate negotiations with the Congolese government hosted by Qatar, underscoring the fragmented nature of efforts to end the conflict.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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