M23 forces seized control of Uvira, a strategic town near the Burundi border, last week—less than a week after the presidents of Congo and Rwanda met with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington and pledged commitment to the Washington Accords peace agreement.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on Saturday that Rwanda’s actions in eastern Congo breached the Washington Accords, vowing to “take action to ensure promises made to the President are kept.”
Rwanda has consistently denied backing M23 and attributes the renewed violence to Congolese and Burundian forces. However, a United Nations expert panel report released in July confirmed that Rwanda exercises command and control over the rebel group.