US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Rwanda violated the Washington Accords with DRC, pledging a response after M23’s capture of Uvira.
WASHINGTON: The United States has accused Rwanda of a clear violation of its recent peace agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed unspecified action in response on Saturday.
His statement came after the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group seized the key border city of Uvira in eastern DRC.
This advance occurred just days after the nations’ leaders and US President Donald Trump signed the “Washington Accords” on December 4.
“Rwanda’s actions in eastern DRC are a clear violation of the Washington Accords signed by President Trump, and the United States will take action to ensure promises made to the President are kept,” Rubio wrote on X.
The capture of Uvira, along the border with Burundi, has raised fears of the conflict escalating into a regional war.
The takeover is part of an offensive launched in South Kivu province at the start of December.
M23 had previously captured other major eastern cities, Goma and Bukavu, earlier this year.
US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz accused Rwanda on Friday of “leading the region toward more instability and toward war.”
He told the UN Security Council that Rwandan defense forces provided material, logistics, and training to M23.
Waltz said roughly 5,000 to 7,000 Rwandan troops have fought alongside M23 in DRC, excluding possible recent reinforcements.
He added that this Rwandan firepower has included surface-to-air missiles, drones, and artillery.
Since resuming its armed campaign in 2021, M23 has seized large territories, displacing tens of thousands.
UN experts said earlier this month that Rwanda’s army and M23 carried out summary executions and forced mass displacements in the region.
