US slams Rwanda for escalation of war in eastern DRC
New York, US (PANA) - The US has slammed Rwanda for the escalation of the war in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as it unveiled the scope and sophistication of Rwanda’s involvement.
The escalation comes in less than one week after US President Donald Trump convened DRC President Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Kagame in Washington, DC, on 4 December for the signing of the Washington Accords and the Regional Economic Integration Framework.
Ambassador Mike Waltz, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, in a speech at the UN Security Council on Friday, said since re-emergence of the war in 2021, President Kagame has had “strategic control of its proxy armed group” M23 as well as M23’s political wing, the Congo River Alliance (AFC) and has deployed M23 and AFC to achieve Rwanda’s geopolitical goals in eastern DRC.
He said: “Kigali has been intimately involved in planning and executing the war in eastern DRC, providing military and political direction to M23 forces and AFC for years now. The Rwanda Defence Forces have provided material, logistics, and training support to M23, as well as fighting alongside M23 in DRC with roughly 5,000-7,000 troops as of early December. This is not counting possible increases from Rwanda in this most recent advancement.”
Mr. Waltz said in more recent months, Rwanda has deployed multiple surface-to-air missiles and other heavy and sophisticated weaponry into North and South Kivu to aid M23 in its conflict against DRC.
He said Rwanda and M23 began their offensive just this last weekend to take Uvira, with Rwandan forces collocated with M23 along the front lines.
“Additionally, we have credible reports of increased use of suicide drones, increased use of artillery by both M23 and Rwanda, including strikes into Burundi. So rather than a march towards peace, as we saw under President Trump’s leadership, in recent weeks Rwanda is leading the region towards increased instability and war.”
Mr. Waltz said in light of the commitments made in the Washington Accords, “we are deeply concerned that the Rwandan military’s continued presence in Congolese territory in support of M23”.
The US Ambassador said his country will use the tools at its disposal to hold to account “spoilers to peace”.
Mr. Waltz called on Rwanda to uphold its commitments and to further recognise the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s right to defend its territory and its sovereign right to invite Burundian forces onto its territory.
He said the US is engaging with all sides to urge restraint and to avoid further escalation, including refraining from hostile anti-Tutsi rhetoric.
Mr. Waltz said as the Security Council negotiates the mandate of the UN ppeacekeeping force in DRC, MONUSCO, the United States will seek to ensure the mission has the capabilities to provide support to both the Doha and Washington agreements – keeping in mind that the parties themselves bear full responsibility for their successful implementation.
Unfortunately, M23’s months-long blockade on MONUSCO has undermined its ability to operate effectively in and out of Goma, as many representatives have stated here today.
Mr. Waltz said for its part, Rwanda continues to deploy surface-to-air missiles and additionally conduct spoofing and jamming operations which have effectively grounded MONUSCO air operations.
The US demanded the immediate end of such obstruction, which violates M23 and Rwanda’s obligations under both the Doha and Washington agreements, respectively.
-0- PANA MA 13Dec2025
