Democratic Republic of the Congo-related Designations; Issuance of Associated General License

Treasury Press Release: Treasury Sanctions Rwanda Officials, Condemns Blatant Violations of Washington Peace Accords

State Press Release: Sanctioning Rwandan Violators of the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity

Additions:

The following individuals have been added to OFAC’s SDN List:

OFAC Program: [DRCONGO] Democratic Republic of the Congo Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 547; Executive Order 13413; Executive Order 13671.

GASHUGI, Stanislas

• Address: Kigali, Rwanda
• DOB: 03 Mar 1973
• POB: Burundi
• Nationality: Rwanda
• Gender: Male
• National ID No.: 1197380088990106 (Rwanda)
• Party Type: individual

Supplemental Information: Stanislas Gashugi is a senior officer within the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF). According to the U.S. Department of State, he is being sanctioned for providing direct operational support to the March 23 Movement (M23), a U.S.- and UN-sanctioned rebel group. This support facilitated M23’s capture of the Congolese city of Uvira in December 2025, a direct violation of the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity signed on December 4, 2025.

KARUSISI, Ruki

• Address: Kigali, Rwanda
• DOB: 05 Jun 1974
• POB: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Nationality: Rwanda
• Gender: Male
• Party Type: individual

Supplemental Information: Ruki Karusisi serves as a senior leader within the Rwanda Defence Force. He is designated for his role in RDF operations that provided backing to M23 fighters in eastern DRC. The U.S. government identifies this support as a key factor enabling M23 to seize sovereign Congolese territory and engage in human rights abuses, including summary executions and violence against civilians.

MUGANGA, Mubarakh

• AKA: * MK MUBARKH
• Address: Rugando, Kigali, Rwanda
• DOB: 26 Jun 1967
• POB: Kampala, Uganda
• Nationality: Rwanda
• Gender: Male
• Passport: PD100862 (Rwanda) expires 19 Aug 2026
• National ID No.: 1196780016764179 (Rwanda)
• Party Type: individual

Supplemental Information: Mubarakh Muganga is a high-ranking official in the Rwanda Defence Force. His designation follows findings by the U.S. Treasury and State Departments that RDF senior leadership continued to support M23 despite the historic peace agreement signed by Presidents Trump, Tshisekedi, and Kagame. The action reflects a policy of maximum pressure to ensure all parties deliver on the promises of the Washington Accords.

NYAKARUNDI, Vincent

• Address: Kigali, Rwanda
• DOB: 05 Nov 1969
• POB: Cikitoke, Burundi
• Nationality: Rwanda
• Gender: Male
• Party Type: individual

Supplemental Information: Vincent Nyakarundi is a senior RDF officer sanctioned for his involvement in military activities supporting M23. These activities are cited as clear violations of the December 2025 Washington Accords. The U.S. Department of State noted that the RDF’s continued backing of M23 has destabilized the Great Lakes region and led to horrific human rights abuses against women and children.

The following entity has been added to OFAC’s SDN List:

OFAC Program: [DRCONGO] Democratic Republic of the Congo Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. part 547; Executive Order 13413; Executive Order 13671.

RWANDA DEFENCE FORCE

• AKA: RDF
• Address: Ministry of Defence, KG 1 Roundabout, Kigali, Rwanda
• Website: https://www.mod.gov.rw/rdf/overview
• Organization Established Date: Jul 2002
• Organization Type: Defense activities
• Target Type: Government Entity

Supplemental Information: The Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) is the national military of Rwanda. It is being designated for its direct operational support to the M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. This support led to the capture of the city of Uvira shortly after the signing of the Washington Accords. In conjunction with this listing, OFAC issued DRC-related General License 1, which authorizes a wind-down period for transactions involving the RDF to mitigate unintended economic impacts while maintaining pressure on the institution’s leadership.