The UK's decision to suspend some aid to Rwanda is "punitive", authorities in the East African country have said. In a statement, the UK said it was against Rwanda's support for the M23, a rebel group that has captured swathes of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in a deadly uprising.

Britain on Tuesday said it would pause some bilateral aid to Rwanda and impose other diplomatic sanctions on Kigali over its role in the conflict in neighbouring Congo, a move Kigali termed "punitive".

Kigali condemns London’s sanctions over the M23 advance in DR Congo as ‘punitive measures’. 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.