In a statement issued on August 14, 2026, AFC/M23 said shells were fired at around 9 a.m. in Kanyola, Walungu Territory, and surrounding areas in South Kivu Province.
The coalition said another attack was launched at around 11 a.m. by the Congolese army and allied groups against Kawere in Masisi Territory, North Kivu Province.
AFC/M23 said the attacks killed people and forced some residents to flee their homes again, although it did not provide figures for those killed or injured.
The accusations come as the DRC government and AFC/M23 have agreed to a ceasefire and mechanisms to monitor its implementation under peace talks held in Doha, Qatar.
The agreement requires both sides to protect civilians, respect human rights and maintain a lasting cessation of hostilities.
AFC/M23 has accused DRC forces and their allies of launching attacks in densely populated areas of eastern DRC.
Speaking at a political rally in New York state on Friday, Trump said the United States would soon impose measures on Iran that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had described a day earlier as unprecedented, according to media reports.
“After we finish defeating Iran — which is being very badly defeated — pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” Trump said, though it remained unclear whether the remark represented a serious policy proposal.
Iran rejected the threat. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran would not be intimidated and insisted that control over the strategic waterway remained with Iran.
The comments came as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a major global energy route, fell sharply. Media reports said only a handful of vessels were recorded passing through the waterway on Friday, with no crude oil shipments visible.
The Strait normally handles about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, making prolonged disruption a major concern for energy markets. Brent crude has approached $90 a barrel, while US gasoline prices have risen to around $4 per gallon.
Trump has urged Americans to accept higher fuel prices, saying the cost was necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Meanwhile, US media have reported concerns over the welfare of sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for about nine months. Trump said the carrier would soon be replaced by another ship.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) transits the Arabian Sea, in a photo released July 1, 2026. (US Navy photo)
Rutaremara made the remarks on the evening of August 13, 2026, during a commemoration event held by Banyamulenge living in Rwanda to mark the 22nd anniversary of the massacre of 166 Banyamulenge refugees at Gatumba camp in Burundi in 2004.
The Banyamulenge refugees were attacked by armed groups, including FNL-PALIPEHUTU, on the night of August 13, 2004. Reports have also implicated other armed personnel, including elements from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Banyamulenge have accused the governments of Burundi and the DRC of failing to ensure justice for the victims, saying the two countries have continued to delay accountability while hostility towards the Banyamulenge persists.
Rutaremara expressed solidarity with the Banyamulenge, saying their frustration over the lack of justice is shared by Rwanda, which he said has also been waiting for Burundi to hand over genocide suspects for more than 30 years.
“We are still waiting for justice. We have not brought a single Burundian [suspect] here,” he said.
He said Burundi’s reluctance to cooperate is largely linked to the fact that some Burundians who participated in the Genocide against the Tutsi later returned to Burundi and eventually rose to senior positions in government.
Rutaremara specifically cited former Burundian Prime Minister General Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni, saying he had opposed cooperation that could have led to the extradition of suspects.
“Gen Bunyoni was the one who refused. He said, ‘If we allow Rwandans to come and ask for people, they will end up taking all of us who are in Burundi,’” Rutaremara said.
He argued that once judicial cooperation began, Rwanda would have been able to request the extradition of suspects regardless of their positions in Burundi’s leadership.
“We would have started by asking for those at the top because many of them participated in the Genocide here in Rwanda,” he said.
Rutaremara said the international recognition of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and subsequent efforts to prosecute those responsible were made possible in part by the victory of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF Inkotanyi), which ended the genocide and took control of the country.
He said that before the RPF’s victory, the mass killings of Tutsi had not been formally recognized internationally as genocide.
Addressing the Banyamulenge, Rutaremara said governments play a decisive role in either delivering justice or preventing it.
“You will not get justice from Burundi because we have also been waiting for it from before you. There are many people there who killed people here in Rwanda. Their names and lists are available,” he said.
He cited the Mayaga region of southern Rwanda as one area where Burundian refugees allegedly participated in the genocide.
According to Rutaremara, the genocide in Mayaga was carried out with extreme brutality, with local Interahamwe militia receiving support from Burundian Hutu refugees who had fled to Rwanda and settled in Ngoma, in Muyira Sector.
He said the refugees had carried anger and resentment from Burundi following the assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye and later participated in attacks against Tutsi in Mayaga.
Rutaremara also alleged that Burundian refugees in Ntongwe and Muganza communes, in the former Butare area, participated in the Genocide against the Tutsi, accusing some of those involved of committing acts of extreme brutality.
He said it remains difficult to secure accountability because the international community appears unwilling to pursue the matter, while those responsible have also failed to acknowledge their actions.
The comments came as Banyamulenge in Rwanda continued to demand accountability for the 166 refugees killed at Gatumba camp on August 13, 2004, an attack that remains a major source of grievance among the Banyamulenge community.
Tito Rutaremara, Chairperson of the Rwanda Elders’ Advisory Forum, said Rwanda has for decades asked Burundi to extradite its nationals who participated in the Genocide against the Tutsi, but Burundi has remained reluctant to do so because of its own leaders.
The USS George Washington, the U.S. Navy’s “premier forward-deployed aircraft carrier” in the Pacific, was spotted Thursday transiting the Strait of Malacca, which links the Pacific and Indian oceans.
A Navy official confirmed to USNI News, the U.S. Naval Institute’s online news and analysis portal, that the aircraft carrier was moving westward after passing through the Singapore Strait.
The deployment came amid growing concerns over conditions aboard the Lincoln, including reported shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deck safety concerns, mail disruptions, and deteriorating mental health among the crew onboard.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal said the Lincoln hasn’t made a port call in 200 days during its extended deployment in the Iran war, setting a record for consecutive days at sea.
Amid the strain of the war, the U.S. military has lost about 25 percent of its MQ-9 Reaper drones, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing three U.S. officials.
Each drone can cost between 30 million U.S. dollars and 50 million dollars depending on the type of sensors and weapons it carries, putting the total value of the losses at more than 1.3 billion dollars, it said.
The US Navy has confirmed that the George Washington carrier group is moving through the Strait of Malacca toward the Indian Ocean and the Middle East.
A resident of Nyagahinga Cell in Cyanika Sector told IGIHE that the fire started in the middle of the mountain at around 6 a.m. and spread uphill, making efforts to extinguish it difficult because of the long distance that responders have to cover on foot.
“We saw the forest had caught fire at around 6 a.m. this morning. We tried to see whether there were people putting it out, but we did not see anyone. It continued burning. As we speak, we are on the mountain trying to put it out,” the resident said.
Residents of Nyagahinga said they were not concerned that the fire would reach their homes or damage their property because the mountain is about two kilometres from the settlement.
Northern Province Governor Maurice Mugabowagahunde told IGIHE that authorities from different levels had gone to the area to coordinate firefighting efforts, expressing confidence that the situation would be brought under control without significant damage.
“Yes, it is true, and we are all there. We have gone to put it out. I believe it will be resolved without much damage,” he said.
Residents said that by around 9 a.m., the fire had begun to weaken on Mount Muhabura, raising hopes that it could soon be extinguished.
The full extent of the area affected was not immediately known as the fire was still burning when this story was published, while residents continued efforts to put it out. The cause of the fire had also not been established.
Residents said some people enter Volcanoes National Park to collect honey, a practice that sometimes requires them to light smoke to drive bees away. They suspect that such activity could have caused the fire.
Mount Muhabura was last affected by a major fire in 2009.
The volcano stands at 4,127 metres above sea level, making it the second-highest of Rwanda’s five volcanoes.
During the dry season, vegetation in several national parks, including Volcanoes National Park, where Mount Muhabura is located, becomes dry and more vulnerable to fires. This increases the risk of wildfires if flames reach the vegetation.
The fire broke out in the middle of Mount Muhabura early in the morning.The area affected by the fire is far from nearby residential areas.
U.S. news outlet The Intercept and non-profit Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) alleged that the paid Truth Social service violates two parts of the Constitution: the First Amendment right to access a president’s comments on equal terms with other members of the press and public, and the Fifth Amendment prohibitions on charging unreasonable conditions for government benefits.
The plaintiffs said delayed access to the president’s statements would harm their ability to produce or support journalism, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
“A president selling priority access to news he himself generates for the benefit of a private company he controls is so blatantly corrupt and unconstitutional that it would have been hard to even fathom just a few years ago,” said Seth Stern, chief of advocacy at the FPF.
As general counsel to The Intercept, David Bralow said: “Nothing could be more antithetical to the free, independent press than the president charging for early access to his public announcements.”
The paid Truth Social service, named Truth API, allows subscribers to receive Trump’s posts seconds before they appear for the general public. Seeking to block the plan, the two groups said those moments matter because Trump’s posts often move stocks, oil and other financial markets with announcements about government policy, military actions and other decisions, as seen during the Middle East conflicts and renewed U.S. tariff measures.
Many big investment firms have developed automated systems to monitor Truth Social, detect important keywords and take action, often within a fraction of a second, such as initiating or canceling positions, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing traders.
A Wall Street Journal review of trading data showed how quickly some traders have pounced on the president’s online comments. In the minute following two of Trump’s posts about Iran in June, investors traded more than 2 million shares, according to data from DTN, a global data and technology company. These trades caused swings of more than 2 percent in almost two dozen energy and industrial stocks.
The plaintiffs argued that the setup gave an unfair advantage to those who can afford it, creating a system where market-sensitive information reaches paying clients first, according to the BBC.
Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), Truth Social’s parent company, announced that Truth API charges up to 100,000 U.S. dollars a month for early access to 10 high-profile Truth Social accounts, including Trump’s own, or 60,000 dollars per month if users commit to three years.
Trump has the largest following on the platform, with about 13 million followers, followed by his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., with around 7.5 million.
Other accounts offered through Truth API include those of Vice President JD Vance, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FBI Director Kash Patel and the White House itself, the complaint said.
The service came as the publicly traded TMTG lost hundreds of millions of dollars each quarter and its stock has dropped below 10 dollars from 62 dollars shortly after going public two years ago.
Trump is the largest shareholder of TMTG, with a 41.3 percent stake worth approximately 950 million dollars, held through his Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust. His eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., serves as a director of TMTG and oversees the trust, while the president is the trust’s sole beneficiary, the BBC reported.
Even before the new API service was launched, ethics watchdogs criticized Trump’s posting on Truth Social as a brash attempt to profit off the presidency, linking it to other money-making ventures, including those related to cryptocurrencies.
Earlier this year, the president filed a required annual financial disclosure report showing that he had taken in more than 1 billion dollars in 2025 from new crypto businesses subject to regulation by his administration, according to AP.
The Wall Street Journal reported that trading firms were among the first subscribers to the service, with more than 10 customers having signed up. In this business, getting to data nanoseconds faster than competitors can amount to a sizable advantage.
“This scheme is profoundly corrupt,” the two organizations said in their complaint. “The president stands to gain financially by giving ‘market-moving’ government information to those who are willing and able to pay his personal company.”
The plan also drew backlash from Democratic lawmakers, who called for a probe into the service by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
U.S. President Donald Trump was sued Wednesday by two media organizations
Dr. Nsanzimana made the remarks during a virtual discussion with TikTok users on efforts to prevent the consumption of substandard alcohol, particularly among young people.
He said alcohol consumption had reached a level that was affecting the wellbeing of the population and the country’s development.
Dr. Nsanzimana said national institutions had been assessing issues that could hinder Rwanda’s progress and found that alcohol had become a major concern.
“Alcohol came to the forefront among the things that threaten the security of our future. In terms of health, we were already in a difficult situation because alcohol is a slow killer; it kills gradually,” he said.
The minister was asked why Rwanda had focused on curbing substandard alcohol while tobacco is also known to have serious effects on health.
He said the decision was based on available figures showing that tobacco use had declined following measures introduced earlier.
“Figures show that Rwandans who smoke have declined from 13 percent to 7 percent because of measures that were introduced earlier,” he said.
Alcohol consumption, however, remains widespread, according to the minister.
“One in two men drinks alcohol, and one in five women drinks alcohol. It is increasing, and now there are alcoholic drinks with 40 percent alcohol and above,” he said.
Dr. Nsanzimana said the government therefore started with the issue that was currently causing greater harm, while tobacco remains on the agenda.
“Tobacco will also be addressed, and it will not take long. We started by addressing the major problem that is killing people, but tobacco is also on our agenda, even though its use has been declining significantly,” he said.
Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana said Rwanda will soon turn its attention to tobacco after tackling substandard alcohol consumption.
On August 5, 2026, the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) temporarily suspended 52 imported alcoholic beverages that it said did not meet required quality standards. The products included Kenya King, Gilbey’s Gin, Avalon Premium Vodka, Safari Gin and Sweet Berry Vodka, which are manufactured in Kenya.
Following the suspension, KEBS said it had conducted inspections and laboratory tests on the five Kenyan alcoholic beverages and found that they complied with applicable Kenyan and EAC quality standards.
KEBS also said it was engaging Rwanda FDA and other regulatory authorities in the region to establish the basis for the suspension and find a resolution through mechanisms provided under the EAC framework.
Speaking during a social media engagement hosted on TikTok on August 12, Dr. Nsanzimana responded to the position taken by KEBS.
He said the fact that some of the beverages were reportedly marked for markets outside Kenya raised questions.
“We have seen what our neighbours said, but no one speaks ill of them,” Dr. Nsanzimana said.
“If some of those products were tested and there are labels showing that they are not allowed in their own country but are instead meant for other countries, that is an indication that they may also be seeking profits elsewhere and protecting themselves,” he said.
Dr. Nsanzimana said consumers also have a responsibility to understand the products they use and protect their families.
“Everyone should know what they are doing and how they protect their families,” he said.
The Minister said he did not expect the suspension of the alcoholic beverages to damage Rwanda’s relations with Kenya.
He said the relevant authorities, including those responsible for foreign relations, would work together to address the matter.
The development comes amid a broader crackdown by Rwanda on alcoholic beverages considered to pose quality or safety concerns.
Following the Rwanda FDA’s action against substandard locally produced alcoholic beverages, including the closure of 148 factories, the crackdown also extended to imported alcoholic beverages.
Minister Nsanzimana has defended Rwanda FDA’s decision to suspend the five Kenyan alcoholic beverage brands over quality concerns.Gilbey’s Gin is among the five Kenyan alcoholic beverage brands temporarily suspended from the Rwandan market.
The suspects were presented on August 13, 2026, and all are public servants. Ten of them are employees of Rwanda FDA, while others are from the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) and local government institutions.
Among the Rwanda FDA employees presented are Dr. Eric Nyirimigabo, Head of the Food Department; Dr. Nyamwasa, Division Manager of Food Safety Monitoring; Christian Namahoro, food inspection specialist; Muhimpundu Alice, Food Stores & Outlets Inspection Specialist at the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority; Kangabe Benitha, food technology inspection specialist; and Uwamahoro Elizabeth, a specialist in food safety and monitoring.
The group also includes Niyigena Claudine, a specialist in the inspection of food storage facilities and markets; Ndayishima, a specialist responsible for monitoring medicines after they enter the market; and Nizeyimana Janvier, a specialist in the engineering of food-processing plants.
RIB spokesperson Dr Murangira B. Thierry said 104 people had been arrested since July 20, 2026, in connection with offences related to the production of substandard alcoholic beverages.
Of those arrested, 97 have had case files prepared and submitted to the prosecution, he said.
RIB questions licensing decisions
Dr. Murangira said preliminary investigations had found that some licences were issued without following the recommendations of Rwanda FDA’s Internal Technical Licensing Committee.
“The preliminary investigation showed that some licences were issued without being based on the decisions of the technical committee. We understand clearly that the committee’s decision is what should have been relied upon,” he said.
He cited an inspection of an alcoholic beverage factory where investigators found a machine used to extract juice that had significant amounts of rust.
Dr. Murangira said it was concerning that the factory was eventually granted a licence despite the inspection findings and despite the technical committee recommending against the licence.
According to the RIB spokesperson, on April 23, 2026, the Director General of Rwanda FDA issued a Food Business Operations (FBO) licence to the operator after three requirements had been met.
However, on May 19, the technical committee reviewed the inspectors’ report and recommended that the factory should not be granted the licence.
Dr. Murangira said the committee therefore reviewed a report concerning a licence that had already been issued.
RSB officials also arrested
Some of the suspects presented by RIB are officials from the Rwanda Standards Board who are responsible for issuing different certification documents.
They include Mporanzi Samuel, National Certification Division Manager; Kanyange Celine, Head of the Product Certification Division; and Kabanda Eric, Head of the Systems Certification Division.
Three other RSB employees are being investigated over the issuance of S-Mark certification, which indicates that a product meets the required quality standards.
RIB said the officials allegedly issued S-Mark certificates to more than 18 companies whose products did not meet requirements set by Rwanda FDA.
Dr. Murangira explained that, under normal procedures, a business or manufacturer applies for an S-Mark from RSB, after which the product is assessed to establish whether it meets Rwanda FDA requirements before certification is issued.
“We found a certain alcoholic beverage with an S-Mark, but when we checked its Rwanda FDA documentation, we found that it had none. This created a major gap and became one of the factors behind the proliferation of substandard products on the market,” he said.
Dr. Murangira said the officials arrested from quality-control institutions are suspected of abusing their authority for personal gain and failing to perform their duties for personal interests.
He said quality-control officials have the authority to seize or stop products that do not meet the required standards but allegedly failed to do so.
“The factories that were closed were operating and making money despite not having the required documents. This means that those responsible for issuing the documents turned a blind eye and deliberately ignored the violations, allowing people who should not have benefited to make profits,” he said.
The arrests come after the closure of more than 150 factories in Rwanda over the production of substandard alcoholic beverages.
Five local officials arrested
RIB also arrested five Executive Secretaries of cells and sectors who are suspected of being accomplices to an offence involving providing a person with an item capable of causing death or seriously damaging their health.
Dr Murangira said the local officials allegedly worked with owners of alcoholic beverage factories by warning them about planned enforcement operations or allowing factories that had been closed to resume operations without following legal procedures.
“There were times when we went out looking for places where those beverages were being produced. Because we work with local authorities, we would find that the operators had been warned,” he said.
He added that some of the officials were arrested after closed factories were allowed to resume production in recent days.
According to RIB, some local officials allegedly told factory owners that the closures were temporary and would soon be lifted.
Dr. Murangira, however, said authorities were now also pursuing officials who allegedly enabled the factories to operate without the required licences.
The investigation is part of a wider crackdown on substandard alcoholic beverages in Rwanda, which has so far resulted in the closure of more than 150 factories and the arrest of more than 100 people suspected of involvement in related offences.
Prof. Emile Bienvenu the Director General of Rwanda FDA has been arrested.Prof. Emile Bienvenu (front) was paraded on August 1, 2026.18 individuals, including the Director General of Rwanda FDA (front right) have been paraded.
The four-day forum in Kigali will examine the challenges and opportunities facing Africa’s Internet ecosystem, particularly inland markets that lack direct access to submarine cable landing stations, while exploring ways to build a more resilient, affordable and locally connected Internet across the continent.
By fostering a more connected and resilient Internet, these efforts can lower the cost of delivering digital services, improve online performance, and strengthen Africa’s ability to shape and sustain its own digital future.
Organised by the African IXP Association (Af-IX) and supported by the Rwanda Internet Community and Technology Alliance (RICTA), AfPIF is a leading forum for Africa’s Internet stakeholders to exchange ideas, build partnerships, and advance practical solutions to strengthen the continent’s digital infrastructure and Internet ecosystem.
Af-IX is a regional association dedicated to advancing the proliferation of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) across the African continent.
Meanwhile, the Rwanda Internet Community and Technology Alliance (RICTA) is a not-for-profit organization representing the Rwanda Internet community. It was formed in 2005 with the objective of managing the .RW country code top level domain and the Rwanda internet exchange point.
“Hosting this year’s AfPIF in Rwanda gives us an important opportunity to put the spotlight on the realities of building and strengthening Internet infrastructure in inland East and Central Africa. We’re looking closely at both the challenges and opportunities facing inland markets that don’t have direct access to submarine cable landing stations, while exploring how stronger interconnection, carrier-neutral data centres, and local content delivery can help build a more resilient and affordable Internet across Africa.
“We’re looking forward to bringing our community together to share experience, identify solutions, and build the partnerships needed to turn these opportunities into lasting progress,” said Kyle Spencer, Executive Director of the African IXP Association.
As the local host of AfPIF 2026, RICTA is delighted to welcome delegates from across Africa and around the world to Rwanda, as the event returns to the country for the second time following the successful 2022 edition.
This year’s forum brings together a diverse community of stakeholders from across the Internet ecosystem, including Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), data centres, cloud and content delivery providers, Internet service providers, submarine cable operators, technology companies, governments, academia, research institutions, development partners, community networks, and the media.
“This rich diversity of expertise and perspectives is essential to fostering collaboration, strengthening Africa’s digital infrastructure, and accelerating the continent’s digital transformation,” said Grace Ingabire, CEO of RICTA.
“We warmly invite delegates to make the most of their time in Rwanda by experiencing the country’s vibrant digital and business landscape, discovering new opportunities for investment and innovation, and building partnerships that can contribute to the growth of Africa’s digital economy,” added Ingabire.
Hosted at the Kigali Marriott Hotel, AfPIF 2026 will explore the opportunities and challenges shaping East Africa’s digital future, with a focus on Internet policy, carrier-neutral data centres, and content delivery infrastructure.
The programme features workshops, keynote addresses, panel discussions, bilateral meetings, lightning talks, and networking events designed to share practical insights, encourage collaboration, and support new partnerships and investment across Africa’s Internet ecosystem.
Internet connectivity is increasingly becoming essential to communication, business and access to digital services.
