The Rwandan government has imposed sanctions on 25 individuals accused of terrorism and terrorism financing. The list, released by the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) on October 14, includes members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR)—a militia group linked to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi—as well as members of the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) and the National Liberation Front (FLN).
At the top of the sanctions list is Lt Gen Gaston Iyamuremye, the president of the FDLR, also known as Victor Byiringiro. The 76‑year‑old is accused of planning and coordinating terrorist activities, extortion and illegal taxation to fund terrorism, and is believed to be residing in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Other notable figures include Maj Gen Pacifique Ntawunguka, commander of the FDLR‑FOCA, and Col Sylvestre Sebahinzi, an FDLR member who actively mobilizes financial support for the group. Sebahinzi is based in Lusaka, Zambia, and is linked to the FDLR’s financial flows.
The list also names individuals accused of supporting terrorism against Rwanda, such as Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa, a founding member of the RNC, and Dr Emmanuel Hakizimana, a co‑founder of the RNC and member of the MRCD movement. Nyamwasa resides in Pretoria, South Africa, while Hakizimana lives in Montreal, Canada.
These sanctions are part of Rwanda’s broader effort to combat terrorism and its financing. The FIC has urged individuals and organizations to report any information that could help disrupt terrorist activities. By targeting a range of actors across the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, South Africa, Canada, the United States and other countries, the sanctions underscore the global nature of the threat and the need for international cooperation. Rwanda has called on the international community to work together in taking action against those who support terrorism, emphasizing that a collective response is essential to counter this worldwide challenge.
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