Rwanda has said international sanctions will reduce the likelihood of peace with M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), after the United Kingdom said it would pause some bilateral aid and impose other diplomatic sanctions on Kigali.

U.K. authorities said Tuesday that they were punishing Rwanda over its alleged support of the rebels who now control two major cities in eastern Congo. The measures include pausing direct financial aid that doesn't include support to the poorest Rwandans.

International sanctions against Rwanda will reduce the incentive for Kinshasa to engage in peace talks with M23 rebels who have made lightning advances in eastern Congo this year, a proscribed Rwandan minister has said.

DAKAR, Senegal — Rwanda-backed rebels appeared to be heading toward a third major city in eastern Congo, residents said Tuesday, as international pressure rose over the M23's expansion in a mineral-rich region that’s critical for global technology.

Rwanda is facing global pressure over allegations it supports the M23 group which, since January, has captured swathes of eastern Congo including the cities of Goma and Bukavu, an

Britain is set to impose sanctions on Rwanda in response to the ongoing conflict in neighbouring Congo, according to a UK Foreign Office minister. ・UK is preparing to impose sanctions on Rwanda due to the conflict in Congo.