The United States has imposed financial and legal sanctions on two senior members of armed groups operating in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), accusing them of serious human rights violations and attacks against civilians.
In an official statement, the US Department of State identified the sanctioned individuals as Gustave Kubwayo, a leader within the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and John Imani Nzenze, described as the intelligence chief of the Congo River Alliance/M23 (AFC-M23).
Washington said these measures are part of ongoing efforts to promote peace and stability in the Great Lakes region. The US also aims to push conflict actors to honour their international commitments, including those under the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity and the Doha process.
According to the Department of State, Gustave Kubwayo is implicated in multiple atrocities committed by the FDLR, such as ethnically motivated violence, recruitment of child soldiers, sexual violence, and cross-border attacks that threaten Rwanda’s security.
John Imani Nzenze, meanwhile, is accused of playing a role within the M23, a group Washington considers to be backed by Rwanda. The US holds this movement responsible for numerous killings, gross human rights violations, and repeated assaults on civilian communities in eastern DRC.
Separately, the Congolese army announced the surrender of 204 AFC-M23 combatants during April and May 2026. A statement from Major Dieudonné Kasereka, spokesperson for the 34th military region, said the former fighters turned themselves in across several operational zones in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, including Lubero, Rutshuru, Masisi, and Kalehe.
Military authorities said they have taken the necessary steps to accommodate and process the surrendering combatants. Major Kasereka also appealed to other militants still active in forested areas to lay down their weapons and join the surrender process.
These developments come amid ongoing clashes between the AFC-M23 and the Armed Forces of the DRC, which are supported by the Wazalendo self-defence groups. Fighting remains particularly intense in several territories of North Kivu and South Kivu, where the security situation continues to be of grave concern.