Sanctions have been imposed by the European Union on a number of participants in the war in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
They include Willy Ngoma, a spokesperson for the M23 rebel faction. Mr. Ngoma has remained silent.
The M23 is held accountable for spreading unrest and insecurity in the country’s east and committing human rights violations, including sexual assault.
More than 130 villagers were allegedly killed by the group last week, according to the UN. The M23 refuted the assertion, attributing all but eight fatalities to “stray gunfire.”
A senior member of the Congolese army is one of individuals whose assets have been frozen and who is also prohibited from traveling.
According to reports, between June and December of last year, the forces under his leadership committed assaults on civilians, including rapes.
A Ugandan man accused of being a top ADF militia leader involved in arming rebels, recruiting them, and collaborating with the militant Islamic State group is also named on the list.
Numerous armed factions are active in eastern DR Congo, many of which are vying for control of the area’s mineral wealth.
The EU has also sanctioned a Belgian-born businessman, Alain Goetz. He’s accused of exploiting the instability to illicitly trade in natural resources.
But the Reuters news agency reports that Mr Goetz has pulled out of the company that was allegedly involved in the trade and has never dealt with gold from DR Congo.