US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has rebuked Rwanda for allegedly breaching the recently signed Washington Accords.
Rubio said Saturday that Kigali’s military actions in eastern DRC constitute a “clear violation” of the peace agreement signed by the presidents of Rwanda and the DRC under the auspices of the United States.
In a post on X, Rubio pledged that “the United States will take action to ensure promises made to the President are kept,” underscoring growing US frustration with the implementation of the deal brokered by former President Donald Trump.
Rubio’s comments came as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels continued their offensive in South Kivu province, seizing key positions including the strategic city of Uvira near the Burundi border, just days after the peace accord was signed.
The Washington Accords, signed on December 4 in an event hailed by US officials as a historic step toward ending years of conflict in eastern Congo, aimed to halt hostilities between Kigali and Kinshasa and promote the disarmament of armed groups.
However, the agreement did not include the March 23 Movement (M23), the main armed group at the centre of the violence, as a signatory.
Observers note that this critical omission could undermine its implementation.
Despite the diplomatic breakthrough, fighting flared almost immediately.
International agencies report that M23’s offensive has killed hundreds of civilians and displaced hundreds of thousands, complicating efforts to stabilise the region and fulfil promises of peace.
UN officials have documented intense clashes and shelling across multiple territories in South Kivu, with humanitarian conditions deteriorating rapidly as roadblocks and insecurity hinder life-saving aid.
The US and the DRC government accuse Rwanda of continuing to support M23 with troops, training, and logistics, a claim Kigali vehemently denies.
Rwanda insists its forces are in eastern Congo solely for security reasons and has accused Kinshasa of violating ceasefire terms and backing militias hostile to its interests.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz also condemned Rwanda’s conduct, warning that Kigali’s actions were “leading the region toward increased instability and war” and asserting that Washington would hold actors accountable for undermining peace efforts.
The advance by M23 forces has triggered mass displacement, with civilians fleeing into neighbouring Burundi and beyond, raising alarms of a broader regional crisis.
International humanitarian agencies have stressed the urgent need to protect civilians and restore humanitarian access in conflict zones.
Reports indicate that almost immediately after the accord was signed, the M23 offensive intensified, resulting in hundreds of civilians killed and large-scale displacement.
Regional officials report that more than 400 civilians have been killed and about 200,000 people displaced amid the clashes.
