This week, US sanctions Rwandan forces over DRC peace deal violations. South Sudan peace agreement in grave danger. Cambodian official encourages peace with Thailand.
US Sanctions Rwandan Forces Over DRC Peace Deal Violations
The United States sanctioned Rwanda’s army and four top commanders, accusing them of supporting the M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The US Department of the Treasury said on March 2 that the rebels’ successes would not have been possible without Rwandan support.
Fighting in the region has continued despite the Trump-brokered peace deal between the governments of DRC and Rwanda in December. The US Department of the Treasury alleged that Rwanda’s army was undermining the peace deal by training, equipping and fighting with M23.
Despite evidence that Rwanda is supporting M23, Rwanda continues to deny this. Rwanda’s government released a statement condemning the US sanctions, saying, “The sanctions issued today by the United States unjustly targeting only one party to the peace process misrepresent the reality and distort the facts of the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.”
South Sudan’s Peace Agreement In Grave Danger
South Sudan’s peace agreement is in grave danger. On February 27, the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned “We are at a dangerous point, when rising violence is combined with deepening uncertainty over South Sudan’s political trajectory, as the peace agreement comes under severe strain.”
South Sudan’s conflict is between the military, which is loyal to President Salva Kiir, and insurgents believed to be allied with the suspended vice-president Riek Machar. On March 1, at least 169 people were killed in violence in Abiemnom county near the Sudan border.
The High Commissioner’s office, OHCHR, documented that 189 civilians were killed in January, with several others wounded, marking a 45 percent increase in violence and abuses over the previous month.
Türk noted that senior military officials had used hate speech to incite violence targeting entire communities and ethnicities. Meanwhile, the UN said that access to aid remains fragile, and 109,000 people live surrounded by floodwaters and are “increasingly exposed” to the impacts of climate change. .
Cambodian Official Encourages Peace With Thailand
On March 3 at Cambodia’s National Culture Day celebration, Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Civil Service Hun Many spoke out encouraging peace with Thailand.
Many said that although Cambodia was committed to protecting its territory, the military did not have an advantage over Thailand, and diplomacy rather than violence was the right solution. Many added that steps toward peace could include cooperating with national and international organizations such as UNESCO.
On July 28, 2025, Thailand and Cambodia reached a ceasefire after days of escalation in conflict beginning on July 24. The escalation began a day after a landmine explosion injured five Thai soldiers, including one who lost his leg. However, the series of events that led to the escalation were disputed between the two countries, with both sides blaming the other. The ongoing conflict is over disputed land surrounding a temple in Cambodia.
Despite the July 28 ceasefire, tensions remain high between the two countries. The World Health Organization reported in December 2025 that there have been 18 civilian deaths in Cambodia, including an infant and an elderly person, with 79 injured. Meanwhile, in Thailand, a total of 16 civilian deaths have been reported, including one directly related to fighting, and six civilians have been injured.
Keywords: DRC, Congo, Rwanda, M23, South Sudan, Cambodia, Thailand, peace, conflict, conflict resolution
Tara Abhasakun
Tara Abhasakun is Peace News Network (PNN)'s managing editor. She is journalist based in Christchurch, New Zealand, and formerly in Bangkok, Thailand. She has reported on a range of human rights issues involving youth protests in Thailand, as well as arts and culture. Tara's work has appeared in several outlets, including Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.
