US Hits Rwanda with Sanctions over Child Soldiers

By rebels with ties to army

The United States slapped sanctions on Rwanda on Thursday over the use of child soldiers by rebels with alleged ties to the army.

Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that the United States was invoking the Child Soldiers Protection Act in sanctioning Rwanda, as Washington seeks to end "any involvement in the recruitment of child soldiers."

The sanctions were linked to actions by the M23, a group of former rebels who were integrated in the army in 2009 but mutinied last year.