DRC: UNSC sanctions rebel leaders, France urges Rwanda to end support for M23

France has called on Rwanda to cease “all support” for M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to withdraw its troops from the Congolese territory, while the United Nations Security Council has sanctioned the leaders of six armed groups fighting in the DRC.
France’s statement came ahead of the United States warning about the situation. At a meeting of the UN Security Council on Tuesday (20 February), Washington had warned Rwanda and the DRC that they “must walk back from the brink of war”. “We call on Rwanda to cease all support to the M23 and to withdraw from Congolese territory,” the French foreign ministry said. The communiqué added that “attacks on the territorial integrity of the DRC are inadmissible” and that the “M23 must cease fighting immediately, and withdraw from all areas it occupies”. Rwanda has rejected the call and accusations, saying that its troops are defending Rwandan territory as DRC carries out a “dramatic military build-up” near the border.
Meanwhile, a UN committee has imposed an arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze on leaders of six armed groups fighting in the mineral-rich region. “We are pleased that as of today, six additional armed group leaders will be designated by the UN DRC Sanctions Committee,” said Robert Wood, the US deputy permanent representative to the UN, in a statement. “These individuals are responsible for numerous abuses,” Wood said. The sanctions include an arms embargo, travel ban, and asset freeze on two leaders of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), one leader from the Twirwaneho armed group, one from the National Coalition of the People for the Sovereignty of Congo (CNPSC) rebels, and also the military spokesperson for the M23 Tutsi-led rebels and a leader with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).