Kinshasa, DR Congo (Running Africa) — The United States has imposed fresh sanctions on Rwanda’s Gasabo Gold Refinery and two of its senior executives over allegations that the company processed gold smuggled from rebel-controlled areas in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Announced on Thursday, June 25, 2026, the sanctions target what U.S. authorities describe as a mineral trafficking network allegedly linked to the M23 rebel group, which has been at the center of escalating violence in eastern DR Congo.
According to U.S. officials, at least 60 kilograms of gold, valued at millions of dollars, was smuggled to the refinery during the early months of 2026. Washington also alleges that some Rwandan government officials and members of the country’s military facilitated the illicit trade, claims the Rwandan government has consistently denied.
In addition to the refinery and its executives, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned three mining companies linked to the refinery’s chairman, accusing them of supporting the alleged illicit mineral supply chain.
The sanctions freeze any U.S.-based assets held by the designated individuals and entities and prohibit American citizens and businesses from engaging in transactions with them.
The latest measures build on earlier sanctions imposed by the European Union as international scrutiny intensifies over the conflict in eastern DR Congo. Despite a peace agreement signed in December 2025, fighting has continued in parts of the region, with concerns mounting over the role of conflict minerals in financing armed groups and prolonging instability.
